Nighthawks Drop Final NECC Contest to Eagles, 3-0

Daniel Webster starter Zack Hurley (Hudson, N.H./Alvirne) tossed eight innings of three-hit ball to give the Eagles the season series over the Nighthawks with the 3-0 shut-out win, Friday afternoon. Newbury falls to 9-9 in the conference and 18-16 overall with the loss while Daniel Webster improves to 18-11 and 9-6 in the NECC.

Before the game, the Nighthawks honored senior outfielder James Languirand (Biddeford, Maine/Biddeford), who was playing in his final home game, for his four years of dedication to the Newbury baseball program.

The Eagles jumped on the board early in the top of the first thanks to some timely two-out hitting. Newbury starter Jorge Pimentel (Winsted, Conn./The Gilbert School) picked off second baseman Elliot Kilgore (Milford, N.H./Milford) for the second out but third baseman Bruce Brown (Lowell, Mass./Greater Lowell Tech) lined a double down the left field line to keep the inning alive for the Eagles. Left fielder Korey LeLievre (Hudson, N.H./Alvirne) drove in Brown rocketing a single back where it came from, driving in Brown for the game’s first run.

It remained a one-run ballgame until the Eagles grabbed an insurance run in the top of the fifth. Backstop Chris McKenzie (Burlington, Mass./Dean)  led off the frame with a single to left then advanced into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt from Darrik Marstaller (Spofford, N.H./Keene). Two batters later, Kilgore was safe at first on a fielding error by the Newbury third baseman, McKenzie came in the backdoor scoring Daniel Webster’s second run.

The Eagles added to their lead two innings later to take the 3-0 advantage and did not look back. Starting shortstop Rich Lizzotte (West Warwick, R.I./West Warwick) came on in relief of Hurley and shut the door on the Nighthawks. Lizotte pitched a one-two-three ninth inning, striking out the side in order to earn the save.

Pimentel pitched solid on the hill despite getting the loss, fanning six Eagles in 6.1 innings of work before turning the ball over to southpaw reliever Shawn Marcelle (Bristol, Vt./Mt. Abraham Union). In 2.2 innings, Marcelle retired two by way of the strikeout.

Newbury returns to the diamond tomorrow afternoon, Saturday April 29^th, when they travel to Worcester, Mass. in their final regular season game of the season against non-conference Anna Maria College. First pitch is scheduled for 12:00pm.