Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – Senior Jon Massad (Shrewsbury, Mass.) retired the game's first 26 batters and tossed a no-hitter for Southern New Hampshire University as the 22nd-ranked Penmen blanked Chestnut Hill College 15-0 in the day's second game at the Division II Northeast Challenge at the Ripken Experience. SNHU (2-0) opened with two victories on the day, as the Penmen opened the season with a 10-1 win against LIU Post.
Massad nearly registered a perfect game, retiring the first 26 batters of the game before pinch hitter Patrick Campion reached on a misplay on an infield popup. Massad recovered to get the last batter, Brian Happ, to fly out to right to close out the no-hitter. The right-hander struck out five, did not allow a ball out of the infield until the fourth and had just seven balls leave the infield on the day.
Southern New Hampshire got all the offense it would need with four runs in the top of the second. Tyler Fortanascio (Oradell, N.J.) and Greg Pezzuto (Hastings-on-Hudson, N.Y.) opened the frame with back-to-back singles, and after the pair were bunted over by Anthony Aceto (North Providence, R.I.), Brendan O'Brien (East Bridgewater, Mass.) walked. An Andrew Pezzuto (Hastings-on-Hudson, N.Y.) single brought in two runs, with the hit followed by a sac fly by Matt Boulter (Wrentham, Mass.) to bring in O'Brien. Andrew Pezzuto scored on a triple by Jon Minucci (Madison, Conn.).
The Penmen tacked on a run in the fourth before four runs in the fifth made it a 9-0 game. SNHU closed out the scoring by plating three runs apiece in the seventh and ninth innings.
Fortanascio went 4-6 with three runs scored while Andrew Pezzuto was 3-4 with a walk, a stolen base and two runs scored.
In the opener, Junior Mendez (Patchogue, N.Y.) struck out a career-high 11 batters without issuing a walk while scattering three hits. The lone Pioneer run was unearned in the top of the third. John Pickowicz (Hill, N.H.) and Mike Speranzella (Southboro, Mass.) each worked a perfect inning of relief, with Speranzella notching a strikeout.
After staking itself to a 2-0 lead in the first, SNHU made it 3-1 in the bottom of the third when a Boulter single brought in Andrew Pezzuto. The Penmen took advantage of two errors and a hit batsman to score twice in the seventh, then broke the game open with five runs in the eighth. Boulter delivered a two-run single, while Bryan Toland (Wildwood, N.J.) brought two runs in with his triple. Minucci also recorded an RBI single in the frame.
Boulter and O'Brien led the Penmen with two hits apiece in the opener, while Andrew Pezzuto scored four runs.
Southern New Hampshire returns to action with two games on Saturday. The Penmen face No. 16/23 Mercyhurst at 10:00 am before squaring off with West Virginia Wesleyan at 1:00.
