BANGOR, Maine – Bates College baseball earned a pair of wins over Husson University, 7-2 and 9-4, in a doubleheader which consisted of two seven-inning games at the Winkin Complex on Wednesday evening.

With the two victories over the Eagles (18-13), the Bobcats (16-11) improved to 11-3 in the month of April and bettered their record to 16-5 since beginning the season 0-6.

Next, Bates hosts Colby on Friday at 3 p.m. in game one of a critical NESCAC East Division series. The two teams will also play a doubleheader at Colby on Saturday beginning at noon.

Game One Recap – Bates 7, Husson 2

Bates plated five runs in the top of the fourth and held Husson scoreless after allowing the hosts to record two runs in the top of the first to take a 7-2 win in game one.

Sophomore right-hander Chris Ward (Pasadena, Calif.) picked up the win (1-1), tossing 4.1 innings and giving up two runs on seven hits. Junior Aidan Sullivan (Yarmouth, Maine), sophomore Connor Colombo (Mendon, Mass.), and senior Dean Bonneau (Amherst, Mass.) combined to shutout the Eagles on two hits the rest of the way.

Sophomore Conor Reenstierna (Lincoln, Mass.) went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs while classmate Berto Diaz (Carson, Calif.) and junior Rockwell Jackson (Fort Worth, Texas) each recorded two hits.

Ben Walls took the loss (2-1) for the Eagles, conceding seven runs, five earned, on nine hits over 3.2 innings. J.T. Whitten, Kyle Bishop, and Dennis Meehan each had two hits for Husson.

The Bobcats took a 1-0 lead after the top of the first as senior Steve Burke (Bedford, N.H.) scored a run on an error before the Eagles countered with two runs in the last half of the inning as Whitten and Bishop each notched RBI hits.

Bates tied the game at 2-2 in the top of the second as Reenstierna hit a single to left field which scored first-year Brendan Fox (West Hartford, Conn.) who tripled with two outs in the frame.

Reenstierna initiated the Bobcats' five-run fourth with an RBI double to left field. After Reenstierna came home on an error, senior Griff Tewksbury (Concord, N.H.) plated a run with a sacrifice fly, and sophomore Samuel Warren (Norfolk, Va.) brought home a pair of runs with a double to center field. 

Game Two Recap – Bates 9, Husson 4

First-year Ryan McCarthy (Plaistow, N.H.) and Jackson combined to go 5-for-8 with four doubles, two RBIs, and two runs scored as Bates captured a 9-4 win over Husson in game two to complete the sweep of the twin bill.

McCarthy went 3-for-4 on the evening with a pair of doubles while Jackson had two doubles, and Warren enjoyed a 2-for-4 effort at the plate with two runs scored and an RBI.

Five pitchers took to the hill for the Bobcats with sophomore Mark Cunningham (Canton, Mass.) gaining the win (1-0). Neither sophomore Rob DiFranco (Melrose, Mass.) nor junior Sam Maliska (Palo Alto, Calif.) allowed a hit in his respective stint.

Ben Holmes absorbed the loss (0-1) for Husson, allowing four runs, all earned, on three hits and three walks in one inning. Brandon Gendreau went 3-for-3 with two RBIs for the Eagles.

Bates grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the first as Tewksbury hit his second sacrifice fly in as many games and staked itself to a 4-0 edge after the second as junior John Anagnost (Boulder, Colo.) placed a two-RBI single into right field and Warren sent an RBI double into center.

Husson cut its deficit to 4-3 over the next two innings as the hosts plated a pair of runs in the third and tacked on another tally in the last half of the fourth.

The Bobcats pushed their lead back to three runs at 6-3 in the top of the fifth as McCarthy registered two RBIs on a double to center field. The visitors snagged an 8-3 advantage in the top of the sixth, scoring on a passed ball and a first-and-third situation.

Husson scored once in the bottom of the sixth before first-year Eric Vilanova (Bridgeport, Conn.) charted his third run scored in the game in the top of the seventh to push Bates' lead back to five runs at 9-4.