EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. - The race for first place in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) tightened a bit after Western New England College split a baseball doubleheader with Johnson & Wales University Saturday afternoon (April 14) at Pierce Stadium. The host Wildcats won the opener 4-3 in eight innings before the Golden Bears came back to capture the second contest by the score of 5-2.

Western New England College is now 14-8 overall and second in the conference with a 6-2 mark. JWU is 16-14 and third in the league at 6-4. Suffolk (16-8) remains in first place with an 8-2 mark after defeating Norwich twice today.

Johnson & Wales tied the first game with a run in the seventh and pushed across the winning run after two outs in the eighth following back-to-back doubles.

Senior catcher Stephen Hanjack (Enfield, CT) had a two-run single in the fourth that gave the Golden Bears a 3-1 lead. Junior lefty Chris Anderson (Moodus, CT) went the distance giving up eight hits with seven strikeouts and two walks in losing his first game in four decisions.

WNEC came back to take the second contest behind the strong pitching performance of senior righthander Eric Smolin (Westford, MA) who allowed seven hits while striking out 11 and walking only one batter in raising his record to 4-1. 

Senior first baseman Tom Horgan (Westfield, MA) had a pair of hits, including a two-run single that gave the visitors a 3-0 lead in the first inning. Freshman second baseman Justin Walz (Groton, CT) had two hits and a RBI while junior designated hitter Travis Schwamb (West Springfield, MA) had a single and double. Junior shortstop Ryan Kravontka (Glastonbury, CT) led off the seventh with a solo homer (his first of the season).

Because of the threat for heavy rain on Sunday (April 15), the Western New England College-Daniel Webster doubleheader was postponed until Tuesday (April 17) with the first game beginning at 2:00 p.m. at Trelease Park.