Nighthawks Open 2011 With Double-Header Sweep

In their first season under new Head Coach Kraig Kupiec, the Newbury College baseball team opened up the spring season in Fort Myers, Fla. with a double-header sweep of Finlandia University, 4-3 and 21-1.

The Nighthawks began the 2011 campaign with a pitcher’s duel between sophomore Christopher Ninteau and Lions sophomore Eric Beauchamp. Both starters were rusty to start the game, allowing a combined five runs in the first inning but settled down as the game progressed.

Ninteau looked a shaky in his first inning of work. The sophomore from Connecticut walked lead-off hitter, Gerard Taylor, and hit Beauchamp before setting down getting two quick outs via the strike-out and the fly out. Ninteau was one out away from getting out of the first inning jam unscathed but shortstop Russell DeMatties committed the first miscue of the game. The error kept the inning alive for the Lions and allowed both Taylor and Beauchamp to come in and score the first runs of the ball game.

The Nighthawks answered in the bottom of the frame. After retiring right fielder Matthew Clawson on a line-out to short, Beauchamp lost control. He lost catcher Patrick Curry to a walk before hitting centerfielder Kyle Schiavone and first baseman Alex Chetelat. With the bases loaded and one out, Beauchamp uncorked a wild pitch allowing Curry to score Newbury’s first run. Shortstop Russell DeMattie cut the deficit to one run with a sacrifice fly, plating Schiavone.  

Beauchamp appeared he might get out of inning with the lead. He induced a ground ball, off the bat of designated hitter Joey Herer,  but Finlandia shortstop Gerard Taylor could not make the play. The error allowed Herer to reach as Chetelat came in the back-door to give the Nighthawks the one-run lead.

After a rocky first inning, both pitchers settled down. Finlandia came back to tie up the contest in the top of the  third to give the Lions new life but Newbury re-gained the lead for good in the bottom of the fifth.

In the second game of the day, the Nighthawks bats finally came out. They batted around in the top of the first to knock Finlandia’s starting pitcher, Shane McCabe, out of the ballgame after putting up eight runs to start the game. Two innings later, Newbury went through their line-up again, putting up a 10 spot. Schiavone was a perfect four-for-four with one double and four runs batted in. Zach Griesche pitched magnificently going the distance, allowing one run on three hits while striking out four Lions in five innings of work.

The Nighthawks begin the 2011 season at 2-0. They will look to improve on this afternoon when they face Dominican (Ill.) at 4:00pm and 7:00pm.

Game Notes:
Matthew Clawson swiped four bases against Finlandia in the double-header…Freshman catcher Christopher Murphy was two-for-four from the eighth spot in the order, driving in three Nighthawks in the second game.

- Game photo by: Samantha Yanofsky