SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (April 29, 2025) – Up by three runs heading into the top of the eighth inning, the Western New England baseball team would slip up in the eighth and ninth innings, allowing six runs and eight hits over the final two frames as the Bison would storm back from a late-game deficit to defeat the Golden Bears by a final score of 9-8 in a crucial Conference of New England contest from Trelease Park on Tuesday afternoon.

Records:

• Western New England: 20-15, 7-7 CNE
• Nichols College: 22-14, 9-5 CNE

How It Happened:

Nichols began the top of the first with the first run of the game in a huge Conference of New England game on Tuesday afternoon. Nichols's Ben Jerome would smash a single to center field to begin the game, would steal a base, and then come around to score on a two-out hit by Liam Flynn, giving the Bison a 1-0 lead. The Golden Bears would not pick up a hit in the bottom of the first inning but would score a run after Tyler Kornacki would draw a walk, steal a base, and advance on two ground ball outs to score, evening the score at one. The Bison bounced back in the top of the second with their second run of the game, getting an RBI double with two outs from Jerome, who started off the game 2/2. In the bottom of the second, Leo Paragarino would reach second base after walking and stealing a base but the Golden Bears would not be able to put up the tying run, trailing 2-1 after two innings of play. 

Western New England would be no-hit through four innings of play as Allen Hinckley would deliver a near clean four innings for Nichols, giving up no hits, two walks, and striking out three Golden Bears. Nichols would try to take advantage of a WNE error in the top of the fourth, but would leave two runners on base as WNE starting pitcher Greg Nivison would get out of the jam to keep Nichols from scoring. WNE would even the score in the bottom of the fifth inning after a pair of clutch two-out hits, their first two of the game. Antonio Galizia would single, followed by a Jack Gamache double, putting runners on second and third. Tyler Kornacki would fill the bases with a walk while Nichols' pitcher would toss a wild pitch with the bases filled, scoring one, evening the score at two.

Nichols wouldn't waste time getting their lead back in the top of the sixth inning, taking advantage of a fielding error by the Golden Bears to come around with their third run of the game. Alex Slezak would enter the game in the inning with one out and would dial up a fielder's choice, but WNE's killer, Ben Jerome, would collect an infield single to score a run, giving Nichols a 3-2 lead.  WNE grabbed their first lead in the bottom half of the inning, even though no hits were registered. Jack Loftus reached on a walk while Corey Kilroy came up with a bat on ball, reaching on an error by the Nichols shortstop. Leo Paragarino would reach on the sixth walk issued by Hinckley, his final pitch of the afternoon.  A new pitcher for Nichols would enter with no outs in the inning and would issue four straight balls to Connor Cowern, scoring a run for WNE, tying the game at two. Patrick Doyle would then enter following for Nichols, getting three outs, but an Antonio Galizia sacrifice fly would deliver an RBI and run for WNE, giving the blue and gold a 4-3 lead after six innings. The Bison would load the bases in the top of the seventh inning, looking to tie, or even take the lead in the frame, off Alex Slezak, who would get two outs in the inning and would be taken out of the game on a 2-1 count to Collin Harty, in relief for Demitri Boulas, who got Harty to role over into a ground out, getting the Golden Bears out of the inning unscathed. 

The Golden Bears would add insurance to their lead in the bottom of the seventh inning after John Bova recorded a single to begin the inning and would come around to score on a soaring blast to center field from Ryan Montini, who connects on his second home run of the season, putting the blue and gold ahead 6-3. The Bison continued to have an answer for Western New England, including in the eighth inning, coming up with two runs with the bases loaded off Troy Donohue, who lasted just 0.1 inning, giving up three hits and two runs. Tyler Curtis would get the Golden Bears out of the jam by spinning a huge double play, keeping Nichols from scoring again and keeping WNE's lead intact, leading 6-5. WNE had an answer for one run in the bottom of the eighth, adding a single insurance run when John Bova singled home Antonio Galizia to take a 7-5 lead after eight innings of play. It would be Curtis for the Golden Bears in the ninth, looking for his first career save in blue and gold. Curtis would not be able to register that first career save, faltering in the ninth inning, giving up the tying and go-ahead runs to the Bison as Nichols came up with a 9-7 following Curtis's departure from the game. Lucas Kamoen would lock up the final two outs of the inning, but WNE would have just three outs to get back into the contest. Andrew Florek would collect a one-out single, followed by a Leo Paragarino single and advancement to second, putting runners on second and third with one out. Connor Cowern would be intentionally walked, leaving the bases loaded. Antonio Galizia would pop up to the second baseman on an infield fly, but all runners would advance a base after Nichols would fail to make a tag to potentially end the game. Jack Gamache would be WNE's final hope in the game, but his bunt to the pitcher would roll too close to the Bison lefty on the hill, and Gamache would be thrown out and would fall by a final score of 9-8. 

Inside the Lines:

• The Golden Bears would be disappointed with the outcome as their bullpen would falter late in the game to cough up a much-needed CNE victory. 
• Three Golden Bears picked up two hits each, including John Bova, Antonio Galizia, and Leo Paragarino. 
• Ryan Montini totaled three RBIs in the game for WNE. 
• Nichols' Ben Jerome was a tough out on Tuesday, going 5/6 at the plate, collecting two RBIs. 
• Greg Nivison lasted 5.1 innings for WNE, giving up six hits and three runs, two earned while walking and striking out two each. 
• The Bison sweep WNE in a regular season series for the first time since 2021.

Up Next on the Schedule:

• The Golden Bears head to Eastern Connecticut State University on Wednesday, April 30 at 5:00 PM for non-conference action.