BEVERLY, Mass. (4/7/2024) – The Nichols College baseball team lost to #1 Endicott College in a pair of Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) games on Sunday afternoon from North Field. Nichols lost game one 6-2 and game two 8-3.

Senior Johnny Knox and Brennan Hyde led the offensive charge for the Bison. Knox posted a 5-10 (.500) with three runs scored and one RBI, while Hyde was 4-7 with one run scored and two RBI.Senior Andrew Croteau joined the 100-hit club with his double I the top of the ninth inning in the second game for the Bison.

Game 1: #1 Endicott 6 Nichols 2

Nichols opened the scoring in the top of the first inning. Knox singled on the first pitch to open the inning with a lead off single. He then stole second base. Hyde then singled into left field and scored Knox in the process to give Nichols a 1-0 lead.

The Bison controlled the Gulls for the majority of the game, before their offense came to life and plated four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to grab a 4-1 lead. In the top of the eighth inning, Knox hit a towering solo shot to left field, cutting the Endicott lead in half.

Endicott added some insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth inning, making it 6-2 Gulls. They closed out the top half of the ninth to end the game and take game one of the double header.

Graduate Student Pat Sawyer (2-3) earned the start for the Bison and was impressive, throwing 7.1 innings and striking out two batters. Sophomore Aidan Whitten entered in relief an struck out one batter in 0.2 innings of work.

Game #2: #1 Endicott 8 Nichols 3

The second game was a different story. Endicott jumped out in front early and grabbed a 5-0 lead in the opening three innings for the Bison. The Bison earned a run back in the sixth inning, coming off another Hyde single, that scored Knox.

Senior Ben Jerome added the second Bison run of the inning, when he scored from third base, on a pass ball. Nichols trailed 5-2. The Gulls added three more runs, before Nichols plated their third run of the game in the ninth inning, off a pinch hit single for Luis Vargas. Nichols lost the second game 8-3.

Junior Clark Churchill (5-2) was tabbed with the loss, throwing 2.1 innings and allowing five runs on four hits and fanned two batters. Sean Ryan, Nolan Sullivan, Richard Pignone, freshman Houston Wills, and Whitten all made appearances in the second game out of the bullpen.

Nichols (14-7, 2-4 CCC) will hit the road for another CCC match-up, this time one game against Western New England on Tuesday, April 9. First pitch is set for 3:30 p.m. from Springfield, Mass.