Baseball: Hurley's 3-Hitter Sends Eagles Past Nighthawks, 3-0
Brockton, Mass. - Daniel Webster starter Zack Hurley (Hudson, N.H.) tossed eight innings of three-hit ball to give the Eagles the season series over the Nighthawks with the 3-0 shut-out win, Friday afternoon at Campanelli Stadium.
The Eagles (18-11, 9-6 NECC) jumped on the board early in the top of the first thanks to some timely two-out hitting. Newbury (18-16, 9-9 NECC) starter Jorge Pimentel (Winsted, Conn.) picked off second baseman Elliot Kilgore (Milford, N.H.) for the second out but third baseman Bruce Brown (Lowell, Mass.) lined a double down the left field line to keep the inning alive for the Eagles.
Left fielder Korey LeLievre (Hudson, N.H./Alvirne) drove in Brown rocketing a single back where it came from, driving in Brown for the game's first run.
It remained a one-run ballgame until the Eagles grabbed an insurance run in the top of the fifth. Backstop Chris McKenzie (Burlington, Mass.) led off the frame with a single to left then advanced into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt from Darrik Marstaller (Spofford, N.H.).
Two batters later, Kilgore was safe at first on a fielding error by the Newbury third baseman, McKenzie came in the backdoor scoring Daniel Webster's second run.
The Eagles added to their lead two innings later to take the 3-0 advantage and did not look back. Starting shortstop Rich Lizzotte (West Warwick, R.I.) came on in relief of Hurley (2-1) and shut the door on the Nighthawks. Lizotte pitched a one-two-three ninth inning, striking out the side in order to earn his sixth save of the season, setting a DWC seasonal program record.
Pimentel pitched solid on the hill despite getting the loss, fanning six in 6.1 innings of work before turning the ball over to southpaw reliever Shawn Marcelle (Bristol, Vt. ). In 2.2 innings, Marcelle retired two by way of the strikeout.
The Eagles close the regular season with a three-game NECC set against Elms College. The two meet Saturday in a doubleheader in Chicopee and conclude with a single game on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. at Harvey Woods Field.
