Baseball Sweeps Doubleheader Against Penn. State-Berks

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – The New England College baseball team swept Penn. State-Berks, 10-2 and 12-2, in nonconference action on their spring trip.

The Pilgrims are now 5-1 on the season while the Nittany Lions suffered their first losses on the season and are now 4-2.

THE BASICS
Score: Penn. State-Berks 2, New England College 10 – 7 Innings (Game One)
New England College 12, Penn. State-Berks 2 – 7 Innings (Game Two)

Records: Pilgrims (5-1, 0-0 NECC) | Nittany Lions (4-2, 0-0 NEAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED
Game One – Penn. State-Berks 2, New England College 10 (7 Innings)
Manuel Alejandro drove home Luis Atiles early in the first inning to give the Pilgrims a 1-0 lead. Alejandro put a ball in play to right field where the right fielder misplayed the ball which allowed Atiles to score from first base. The Nittany Lions tied up the contest after a bases loaded walk. Manuel Andujar grounded out to shortstop in the bottom half of the inning to drive home Bobby Fulkerson. Penn. State-Berks tied the contest on an error in the top of the third. However, the Pilgrims controlled the contest as they retook the lead in the bottom of the third on another Andujar groundout. The Pilgrims struck for six runs in the bottom of the fourth inning on a Xavier Nunez double, Evan Delaney single, Andujar walk, and a Christian Aybar bases clearing triple. Bobby Fulkerson added a late insurance run with his first homerun of the season.

Game Two – New England College 12, Penn. State-Berks 2 (7 Innings)
The Pilgrims struck quickly in the top of the first inning after a Nunez double and a Delaney sacrifice fly to give them a 2-0 lead. Jeam Castillo drove home Atiles when he grounded out with the bases loaded in the third and Fulkerson added two more runs with a single to right field. Atiles, Castillo, and Aybar all hit two-run homeruns in the middle innings of the contest which extended the lead to 12-0. The Nittany Lions added two runs late to erase the shutout. In the fifth inning, Clifford Guerrero singled to left center for his first career collegiate hit. Jose Guillermo also got his first career hit in the contest.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
 -This was the first meeting all-time. The Pilgrims are now 2-0 after today's doubleheader against the Nittany Lions.
-The Nittany Lions are tough competition as they have reached the NCAA Regional tournament for the last five seasons.
-The Pilgrims have scored nine+ runs in all their wins and have scored double digits in their last four games.