DAVENPORT, Fla. (March 10, 2025) – The Western New England baseball team was sparked by their offense on Monday morning but fell short in the pitching department, losing 15-8 to the Eagles of Benedictine University (Ill.). Alex Grenier and Jack Gamache picked up two hits each, including career home run number one for both players. 

Records:

• Western New England: 4-2
• Benedictine University (Ill.): 5-4

How it Happened:

Connor Flynn made his Western New England debut on Monday morning on the mound and did not give up a hit to the first four batters he faced in the top of the first inning. Flynn would work around a two-out error, stranding an Eagle on third base. The Golden Bears would go quietly in the bottom of the first inning, producing two ground ball outs and a strikeout. Benedictine would get to Flynn and the Golden Bears in the top of the second inning, coming up with five runs to take the quick 5-0 lead. Kyle Campbell delivered an RBI double to right field while George Betevis would get the benefit of the doubt with a single to the pitcher, also scoring a run for the Eagles, giving Benedictine a 2-0 lead. Jack Lewis would come into the game following, also making his WNE debut. Lewis would get the final two outs of the inning but not before a passed ball, and a two RBI single from Kevin Butler would give the Eagles a 5-0 lead after one and a half innings of play.

The Golden Bears would score their first run of the game in the bottom of the seventh after Jack Gamache would record a two would single, while the speedster would make it all the way around the base baths on an Andrew Florek RBI double, putting the Golden Bears on the scoreboard, trailing 5-1. The Eagles would answer with three runs in the top of the fourth inning as Betevis would slap an RBI double down the left field line while Brenna Fisher picked up a two RBI single to right field for Benedictine, who took their largest lead of the game, 8-1 after four innings. Campbell and Betevis would keep adding runs to the scoreboard for Benedictine, coming up with an RBI groundout for Campbell and a two-run home run for Betevis, giving the Eagles a 10-1 lead.

Alex Grenier led off the bottom of the fourth inning with a blistering home run that gave Western New England some life. John Bova would also deliver in the inning, coming up with an RBI ground-rule double to left center field, scoring Andrew Florek, who picked up a single to left center field on the previous at-bat. WNE would trail 10-3 at the midway point of the contest. The Golden Bears would settle in on the defensive side of the ball from there, getting superb relief pitching from both Cam Heeman and Demitri Boulas, keeping the Eagles from scoring any other runs. Western New England would explode for five runs in the bottom of the seventh inning, getting themselves right back into the game. After a leadoff walk issued to Antonio Galizia, Jack Gamache would launch his first career home run in blue and gold, dropping Benedictine's lead to just five. A pitching change would yank Benecitine's starter following as JT Adams would last 6+ innings, giving up six hits and five runs while walking three and striking out seven. Dean Rokkas would not last long in the game for the Eagles as Western New England found their offense, getting a single from Andrew Florek followed by the second ground-rule double of the morning for John Bova. Ryan Montini would deliver an RBI on a groundout, getting Western New England their sixth run of the day, trailing now 10-6. Steven Byrne would replace Rokkas, looking for two outs in the inning and would get that, but not before two more runs came on the board for the blue and gold. Bova would come around to score on a passed ball while Alex Grenier would continue to produce for Western New England, coming up with an RBI single to left field, getting the Golden Bears within two, 10-8. 

Canon Marshall would work the eighth inning for Western New England and would not allow a hit to the Eagles while walking just one batter. The 9-1-2 hitters in the Western New England lineup would not be able to produce any action on the base paths in the bottom of the eighth inning. Troy Donohue would give up just one hit in the top of the ninth, but the Eagles would come around for five runs, making Western New England pay for two errors, leading 15-8. The Golden Bears would not be able to mount another comeback in the bottom of the ninth inning and would fall for the third time in four games in the sunshine state, dropping a 15-8 contest. 

Inside the Lines:

• Multiple Golden Bears produced offense on Monday morning, including Andrew Florek, who went 3/5 at the dish, scoring two runs and picking up an RBI.
• John Bova continued his hot start to the season, coming up with two hits, both ground-rule doubles, while collecting an RBI. 
• Both Alex Grenier and Jack Gamache recorded two hits in four at-bats, and both had their first career home runs. 
• Early pitching would falter for the Golden Bears with Connor Flynn going 1.1 innings, giving up three hits and five runs (three earned) while walking one and striking out one. 
• Cam Heeman, Demitri Boulas, and Canon Marshall combined to throw three innings, giving up not hits and no runs. 
• This is the third meeting all-time between the two teams. This is Benedictine's first win over WNE. 
• George Betevis led the Eagles with four hits, four runs, and five RBIs in the win. 

Up Next on the Schedule:

• Western New England has three games remaining in Florida, including a double header on Wednesday, March 12 beginning at 9:00 AM against North Park University and a 12:15 game against Anna Maria College.