WAYNE, N.J. (2/21/2024) – Despite a 7-2 leading heading into the seventh inning, the Nichols College baseball team dropped their 2024 season opener with a 8-7 loss to the William Patterson University Pioneers on Wednesday afternoon from Jeff Albies Field. The game was stopped after the seventh inning due to darkness.
The Bison and Pioneers met the first time ever in Wednesday's game. Senior
Andrew Croteau led all Bison batters with two hits and added an RBI too. Senior
Brennan Hyde tallied three RBI in the effort for Nichols.
Graduate Student
Jim Marasco crossed the plate to open the scoring for the Bison. After being hit by a pitch for the second time in as many at bats, graduate student will Kleinhenz singled in Marasco from first base to grab a 1-0 lead half-way through the third inning.
The Pioneers pulled even in the bottom half of the inning, after a triple to center field that scored a run. William Patterson grabbed their first lead of the game in the bottom of the fifth inning. The Bison bats woke up in the top of the sixth inning, plating three runs in the inning.
With two outs in the inning, junior
Karl Miller doubled to left field to begin the two-out rally. Croteau reached on a fielding error by the third basemen and Miller advanced to third. Senior
Johnny Knox was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Hyde then batted and ripped a three RBI double to left field on an 0-2 count, giving the Bison a 4-2 lead after six innings.
The Nichols offenses continued to pour it on, with three more runs in the top of the seventh inning. Kleinhenz walked to open the inning, sophomore
Noah Sanabia singled and freshmen
Charlie Tarara bunted a single to load the bases. Miller reach on a throwing error that scored two runs, making it 6-2 Bison. Croteau tripled to score Miller for a 7-2 Nichols lead half-way through the seventh.
In the bottom of the seventh, things unraveled for the Bison, as they allowed the Pioneers to plate six runs on five hits, including a three-run home run, to make it 8-7.
Nolan Sullivan is tabbed with the loss, while
Patrick Sawyer earned the start going 4.1 with two strikeouts and two earned runs. Junior
Sean Ryan saw two innings of action, striking out two.
Baseball (0-1) will continue their road trip when they travel to the University of St. Joseph's on Tuesday, February 27. First pitch versus the Blue Jays is set for 3:00 p.m.
