Baseball Concludes Spring Week with 6-5 Mark; Silva Knocks 100th Career Hit
Box Score/ResultsPort Charlotte, FL- The Clark University nine split a double-header with Olivet College of Michigan on Saturday, concluding the spring trip with a 6-5 record. The Comets of Olivet would take game one 15-6, but the Cougars would take game two 11-3.
In game one, Clark starter Greg Long (Milford, MA) was knocked from the game after just two and one third inning. The Comets would touch Long for thirteen hits and fifteen runs, ten of which were earned.
Olivet opened up fast with a nine run first inning, highlighted by an Eric Quinn (Port Huron, MI) grand-slam. The Cougars defense would not lend any help to Long as five errors would lead to five unearned runs.
Clark would chip away at the lead, scoring in every inning except the second and the last, but the deficit was too much to overcome. Leading Clark's offense was Scott Hollingsworth (Tilton, NH) with three hits in four chances and three RBI, highlighted by his first collegiate home-run in the fifth.
Both Phil Bertocci (Thomaston, ME) and Dan Vladimer (Lexington, MA) threw well in relief for Clark, providing three and two third innings of scoreless relief.
In game two the Cougars were able to put up runs in bunches while sophomore Jonathon Merritt (East. Bridgewater, MA) tossed six and one third innings, giving up two runs, neither of which was earned. In earning his first win of the season, Merritt yielded only four hits and walked only two, adding four strikeouts.
Clark would put three runs on the board in the first inning with RBIs by Matt Tillo (Osterville, MA), Ronald Bathrick (North Haven, CT), and Eric Dufour (Exeter, NH).
Comet starter Ed O'Brien (Stockbridge, MI) would hold the Cougars from the board until the fifth when Tillo singled in Hollingsworth. A seven run sixth inning would chase O'Brien from the game and ultimately put the game out of reach for the Comets. The seven run outburst was led by a Hollingsworth triple scoring two runs and a Dufour double that also drove in two.
Senior captain Joe Silva (Westbury, NY) recorded his 100th career hit a single to right field in the seventh inning. It was nice to get the monkey off my back, Silva says of the accomplishment, It was such a relief.
Clark will return home to Worcester on Sunday, and prepare for its northern schedule. They will host Wentworth at 3pm on March 20th and open conference play in a double-header against WPI on March 29th.
By Joe Pasciucco