United States Coast Guard Academy - Department of Athletics - Baseball - Bears Comebacks Falls Short; Swept by Clark

NEW LONDON, CONN.--(3/27/10)--Senior Phillip DiMarco had five hits including a double, triple and homer and drove in three runs in each game as Clark swept a New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) doubleheader from Coast Guard with the Cougars beating the Bears 15-12 in the opener and 7-4 in the nightcap.

Coast Guard freshman Riley Beecher had an outstanding day as he was 8 for 9 on the day with four RBI’s and six runs scored in the doubleheader. He went 5 for 5 in the opener and 3 for 4 in game two.

Clark (8-7, 2-2) jumped out to an 11-0 lead in the third inning of the opener, seven of those runs were unearned, but they had to hold off the Bears.

Senior Ronald Bathrick had two hits including a double and three RBI’s in the opener as all nine starters had at least one hit as the Cougars totaled 12 hits.

Freshman Andrew LeBlanc picked up the win in relief as he worked the final four innings and allowed seven hits and five earned runs while walking two and striking out three. Sophomore James Wilson started for Clark and went three innings and was touched for seven runs, all earned.

Coast Guard senior John Jeffares was 4 for 5 with three runs scored in the opener while freshmen Cameron Carroll and Nolan Gallagher each had two hits as the Bears finished with 16 hits in game one.

Freshman Derek Petty (1-3) took the loss for the Bears. He went 2 2/3 innings and allowed 11 runs, just four earned. Coast Guard made nine errors in game one.

In the nightcap, Clark scored four times in the top of the first and senior Brandon Solecki (2-2) went the distance scattering 11 hits and allowing four runs, all earned while walking three and fanning four to pickup the complete game victory.

DiMarco had the big hit in the four run first, a two-run triple. He was 3 for 5 with a double, triple and homer in game two. He hit a solo homer in the second to give the Cougars a 5-0 lead.

Coast Guard (4-11, 0-4) trailed 6-0 after three innings, but scored one in the fourth on an RBI double by senior Ryan Milligan and two more in the fifth on RBI singles by freshman Tyler Babkiewich and Beecher to cut the deficit to 6-3.

Junior Jesse Karr (0-4) took the loss for the Bears after working the first six inning and allowing eight hits, six runs, three earned, one walk and four strikeouts.

The Bears have dropped seven straight.