Game 1
The Plymouth State University and Thomas College baseball squads took to Panther Field for two games last Sunday, with the Panthers emerging victorious in a doubleheader sweep.
In game one, the Panthers picked up runs in each of the first five innings, ultimately coming away with the 7-5 win. Junior Steve Campo went 3-3 with an RBI, while sophomore Josh Labossiere homered as one of his two hits in the opener. Junior Tim Conway pitched 5 1/3 innings to pick up his second victory as the Panthers improved to 12-22 overall, and the Terriers dropped to 15-22.
Both teams got scoring started in the first inning, but it wasn’t until the fourth when the Panthers finally broke free. With the score tied 5-5, Labossiere led off with a moon shot to right of Thomas starter Brian Gardner, putting the Panthers ahead for good. Plymouth added another run in the fifth, but it proved to only be insurance as Thomas College came up empty against sophomore Ryan Lavelle, who closed the game out for his first save.
Gardner went 4 2/3 innings, giving up eight hits and five earned runs in the loss. Junior Matt Pavlis led the Terrier offensive with two hits, including an RBI triple in the third, but it proved to be not enough.
The win snapped a three-game losing skid for the Panthers, who are playing .500 ball since a 1-12 stretch early in the season.
Game 2
PLYMOUTH – After a 7-5 win in the first of two games Sunday afternoon against Thomas College, the Panthers took the field again set on winning game two as well.
A year after the Terriers took two from the Panthers, Plymouth reversed the misfortune with a 9-4 to complete the doubleheader sweep. PSU improved their record to 13-22 overall, while Thomas fell to 15-23.
Plymouth sophomore Justin Flanagen proved solid through seven innings, pitching a shut out until he let up a grand slam to Terriers senior Jerry Randall in the seventh. Those last inning heroics proved futile thanks to a pair of rallies early on for Plymouth State.
In the first inning sophomore first basemen Josh Labossiere hit a double and then stole third. Sophomore Brandon Hodge followed with a single to bring him home, earning an RBI and putting the Panthers up 1-0.
Things would only get better for Plymouth from there. The Panthers added to their lead in the second when Labossiere, sophomore Doug Urquhart and junior Steve Campo anchored a three-run rally to make it 4-0. Terriers starter Philip Schools settled down through the middle innings, but the Panther defense and pitching proved to be too much for the visitors, holding Thomas scoreless as well.
It was the fifth inning when things unraveled for Schools and the Terriers. The Panthers blew the game open with another rally, prompting Thomas to sub junior Aaron Bouyea for Schools, but that couldn’t stop the onslaught of the Panthers offense. Labossiere had a triple, two RBI’s and scored again, leading Plymouth to a 9-0 lead. Plymouth wouldn’t score again after the fifth, but a bear’s share of the damage was already done, and the nine runs already posted proved to be enough to take the win.
Urquhart led PSU in their 12-hit attack with three hits and an RBI. Campo added a pair of singles and Labossiere contributed a two-run triple. Their offense partnered with the lights-out pitching of Flanagen proved unbeatable. Providing a far easier nightcap victory to complete the twinbill sweep.
PSU played a home-and-home series against New England College on Wednesday and Thursday, but their playoff hopes come down to an all-or-nothing doubleheader at Rhode Island College. The regular season finale begins Saturday at noon.