PAXTON, Mass.(April 13) – Sophomore Jeff Scafidi was 5-for-8 with two home runs on the day, while junior Brendon Tivnan tossed a complete-game to earn the win in the nightcap, as the Anna Maria College baseball team swept Nichols College in a The Commonwealth Coast Conference doubleheader at Alumni Field on Wednesday afternoon by scores of 14-8 and 6-1. The AMCATS, who came in to the day leading the Bison by just one game for the eighth and final playoff spot, improve their record to 15-14 (8-10 TCCC), while the Bison fall to 9-18 (5-11 TCCC).
Scafidi led the offensive charge for the AMCATS with five hits, two home runs, five runs scored, and four runs batted in. The sophomore right fielder set the AMC program record for RBI’s in a season with a solo shot to right in the very first inning of game one. Scafidi now has 42 RBI’s on the season, breaking the previous mark of 38 which he set as a freshman last year. Junior James McNamara also had a fine day, going 4-for-7 with three runs scored and four runs batted in. Senior JK Vaughn also had four hits on the day, while middle infielders Andy Fallon and Mike Galvin each added three hits in the double-dip. Tivnan was sharp while going the distance on the mound in game two, surrendering just one run on four hits over seven innings of work, improving his season record to 3-1. Sophomore Dean Diamantopoulos also threw a complete-game while earning the victory in game one, improving to 2-3 overall.
Junior Austin Martin (Cranston, R.I.) paced the Bison in game one, going 3-for-4 with a home run, a double, three runs scored, and three runs batted in. Junior George Sergi (Blackstone, Mass.) also performed well in game one, going 2-for-3 with a double, two runs scored and two RBI’s, while shortstop Josh Clark (Brunswick, Maine) finished with three hits on the day.
The Bison jumped on the board early in game one when Martin launched a two-run homer in the top of the first, scoring Al Montalto (Wilmington, Mass.) and giving Nichols a 2-0 advantage.
The AMCATS answered in the bottom half of the inning on a solo shot to right by Scafidi. The home run gave Scafidi 39 runs batted in on the season, breaking the AMC program record of 38 which he set last year.
AMC then exploded for seven runs on seven hits in the bottom of the second, taking an 8-2 lead. Vaughn, Jeff Kodys and Scafidi all had RBI singles during the rally, while Galvin and McNamara both delivered two-run singles.
The Bison battled back with two runs in the top of the fourth, receiving run scoring doubles from both Sergi and freshman John Micciche (Holbrook, Mass.) to cut the AMC lead to 8-4.
However, the AMCATS matched the Bison with two runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning, and then plated four more runs in the fifth, including a two-run shot by Galvin, to take a commanding 14-4 advantage.
In the top of the seventh, the Bison rallied to score four runs before Diamantopoulos was finally able to retire the side on a strikeout to preserve the 14-8 victory.
It was Anna Maria who scored first in game two, as senior Jeff Lander drove home Scafidi with an infield single to give the AMCATS a 1-0 lead after one inning of play.
After the Bison tied the score in the top of the third, the AMCATS fired back with four runs in the bottom of the inning, including a two-run blast by Scafidi, to take a 5-1 lead.
The AMCATS added an insurance run in the fifth when freshman Justin Hyland drew a walk with the bases loaded, and that was more than enough for starting pitcher Brendon Tivnan. Tivnan held the Bison scoreless on just one hit over the final four innings to nail down the 6-1 win for AMC.
The AMCATS now lead the Bison for the final playoff spot by three games with just four to play. The Bison return to action on Thursday, hosting Worcester State in a non-conference matchup at 3:30 pm, while the AMCATS play again on Saturday, traveling to face Western New England College in a TCCC doubleheader starting at noon.
Story courtesy Anna Maria Sports Information
Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score