MIDDLETOWN, Conn. -- The Bates baseball team played a pair of close games Saturday at Wesleyan, falling 8-4 in game one and 7-5 in game two of the twin bill. 

The Bobcats (6-21) return to action Sunday at 1pm when they take on Nichols College at Leahey Field.

Game One: Wesleyan 8, Bates 4

The Cardinals scored four runs in the second inning and jumped out to a 6-0 lead over Bates in game one, holding on to defeat the Bobcats 8-4. 

Ryan Molinari drove in Adam Geibel who singled to open Wesleyan's half of the inning. Wes Fritch doubled home two more two batters later to extend the lead to three. The final run of the second inning was by virtue of an RBI ground out by Cole Torino.

Wesleyan added another two runs over the next two innings. In the 3rd, Molinari drove in his 2nd run of the game on a sacrifice fly. In the 4th it was Dylan Judd who delivered the sacrifice fly to bring home Fritch who had singled to open up the inning

Down 6-0, Bates scored four runs in the top of the fifth. Junior John Nowak (Pelham, N.Y.) doubled to start the frame. Junior Drew Fallon (Mansfield, Mass.) singled to left, moving Nowak to third. Nowak scored on a wild pitch and Fallon advanced to second on the play. Sophomore Christopher Cimino (Scarborough, Maine) drew a walk and junior Henry Jamieson (St. Simons Island, Ga.) got hit by a pitch, loading the bases. Senior Antonio Jareno (Marietta, Ga.) singled in Fallon and Bates trailed 6-2. Senior captain Kevin Lucey (Topsfield, Mass.) drove in Cimino with a sacrifice fly and senior Bryan Gotti (Westwood, Mass.) singled home Jamieson.

Now down 6-4, sophomore Jack Brennan (West Hartford, Conn.) drew a walk, loading the bases again with two outs. But the Cardinals escaped without any further damage.

 Ian Appleby came in relief and got the final out of the inning to stop the bleeding. Appleby then completed a scoreless final two innings to give Wesleyan the 8-4 victory.

The Cardinals tallied nine hits to the Bobcats' seven in the contest.

Game Two: Wesleyan 7, Bates 5

The Bobcats struck first in game two, scoring three runs in the second, but the Cardinals scored four runs in the fifth, taking the lead for good on their way to a 7-5 win over Bates to sweep Saturday's doubleheader.

With two outs and nobody on in the second, Jamieson singled to center. Brennan drew a walk and sophomore Noah Jankowski (Methuen, Mass.) singled home Jamieson, putting Bates up 1-0. A Wesleyan error loaded the bases and first-year Ben Gesmondi (Portsmouth, R.I.) walked to drive in Brennan. Cimino drew a walk as well and Bates led 3-0. 

Wesleyan came back with their run on two hits, scoring on a ground out. The Cardinals tied the game up in the 3rd, scoring two runs on two hits. Tyler Cosgrove came across on a passed ball, followed by a RBI-single from Kyle Sylvester to drive in Torino.

Wesleyan took the lead for good in the 5th, scoring four runs on three hits. Cosgrove led off the inning with a solo home run to give the Cardinals the lead for the first time in the game. Wesleyan scored three more runs in the inning, including an RBI-single from Molinari.

Down 7-3, the Bobcats tried to rally in the top of the seventh. With one out, Gesmondi got hit by a pitch. Then with two away, Jareno singled Gesmondi to third. Gotti singled in Gesmondi and Lucey singled home another run, trimming the Wesleyan lead to two.

Jamieson drew a walk but a fielder's choice ended the game.

Each team recorded eight hits in the contest.