French Belts First Collegiate Homer; Baseball Drops CCC Tournament Game To Endicott

NEWPORT, R.I. – The fifth-seeded Wentworth Institute Technology baseball team dropped Game 1 of the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) postseason tournament, 15-3, to the fourth-seeded Gulls of Endicott College Saturday afternoon on the campus of Salve Regina University.

The Gulls pumped out 16 hits and pulled away with five multi-run innings, including a four-run spurt in the bottom of the fifth. Endicott moves on to the 3:00 p.m. game, and will face No. 1 Salve Regina.

Endicott broke open the scoring in its first chance at bat with back-to-back leadoff singles from seniors Brad Rebello (Bellingham, Mass.) and Michael DeDonato (Chelmsford, Mass.). Both Gulls came home on a sacrifice fly from sophomore Brendan McDonald (Quincy, Mass.) and a groundout from senior Michael Casciano (Somers, Conn.) to build a 2-0 lead after a full inning.

Endicott pushed six more runs across for an 8-0 lead before Wentworth spoiled the shutout with a three-RBI homer – the first of his career - from freshman Aidan French (Chicago, Ill.) in the top of the fifth. Freshman Cole Fritz (Peoria, Ariz.) and sophomore Owen Swanson (New Milford, Conn.) led off for the Leopards with a base-hit apiece, before French went yard to cut the deficit 8-3. The spurt wasn't enough for the visiting team, however, as Endicott got four runs back in its next turn at the plate, before McDonald cracked a three-run homer of his own for the 15-3 final.

French went 2-for-4 with three RBI and a run scored, while Swanson, Fritz, senior Tyler Weninger (Chandler, Ariz.), sophomore Dan Mitchell (Avon, Mass.), and juniors Andrew Elliot (Rockland, Mass.), Ross Golebiewski (Lyme, Conn.) and Jake Smith (Orange, Conn.) each recorded a hit for Wentworth in the loss.

Senior Will Ferreira (Nantucket, Mass.) earned the win on the hill for Endicott, and tossed 7.2 innings allowing nine hits, three earned runs and one walk, while striking out four. Sophomore Joseph Oriola (Pembroke, Mass.) came in for 1.1 innings of relief, and struck out one batter without a run nor a hit allowed.

The Leopards dived deep into the bullpen, as sophomore starter Ryan Obin (Plymouth, Mass.) suffered the loss with 11 hits and eight earned runs in 4.0 innings of work. Freshman Brenden Winch (Bow, N.H.), and sophomores Caleb Eaton (East Hampstead, N.H.) and Ryan Joyce (Avon, Mass.) additionally took the hill for Wentworth.

Wentworth (13-17) returns to Newport, R.I. tomorrow at noon, and will face the loser of this afternoon's game featuring Endicott and the top-seeded Seahawks of Salve Regina.

2018 CCC Baseball Tournament Schedule
NOTE: Due to the delayed end to the CCC Regular Season, the CCC Tournament Schedule has been restructured.

Saturday, May 5, 2018
Game 1 - #5 Wentworth vs. #4 Endicott, Noon (at #1 Salve Regina)
Game 2 - #6 Gordon vs. #3 Western New England, Noon (at #2 Roger Williams)
Game 3 - Game 1 winner at #1 Salve Regina, 3 p.m.
Game 4 - Game 2 winner at #2 Roger Williams, 3 p.m.

Sunday, May 6, 2018
Game 5 – Game 1 Loser vs. Game 3 Loser, Noon (at #1 Salve Regina)
Game 6 – Game 2 Loser vs. Game 4 Loser, Noon (at #2 Roger Williams)
Game 7 - Game 3 Winner vs. Game 5 Winner, 3 p.m. (at #1 Salve Regina)
Game 8 - Game 4 Winner vs. Game 6 Winner, 3 p.m. (at #2 Roger Williams)

Monday, May 7
Game 9 - Game 7 Opponents (if necessary), TBD (at higher seed)
Game 10 - Game 8 Opponents (if necessary), TBD (at higher seed)

The two remaining teams will play a best-of-three series hosted by the higher remaining seed

Friday, May 11, 2018
Game A - Winner of Game 7/9 vs. Winner of Game 8/10, TBD

Saturday, May 12, 2018
Game B* - Game A Opponents, TBD
Game C - Game B Opponents (if necessary)

*NOTE: Game B will be hosted by higher remaining seed, but the lower seed will be the "home" team and bat last.

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