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Navs Best Nashua in Home Opener, 6-2

06/01/2019 10:23 PM

By Joshua Kummins

LYNN, Mass. -- Despite recording just four hits at the plate, the North Shore Navigators continued their early-season Futures Collegiate Baseball League success with a 6-2 win over the Nashua Silver Knights in the team’s Saturday night home opener at Fraser Field.

North Shore improved to 3-0, keeping up its best start since 2013. The Silver Knights slipped to 0-3 after their first visit to Lynn this season.

Left fielder Sean Lawlor (Flagler) hit North Shore’s third home run in as many games, driving in three of the team’s six runs. He became the third Navigator in as many nights to earn FCBL Player of the Night honors. In addition, right fielder Ben Malgeri (Holy Cross) scored three runs and designated hitter Colin Macko (UNC Asheville) went 2-for-4 with one RBI.

The visitors scored single runs against North Shore starter Matt Bergeron in each of the first two innings, but the rising Saint Joseph’s College of Maine sophomore finished five frames of five-hit ball and struck out three en route to his first win of the season.

Shortstop Ben Cowles (Maryland) hit a one-out single in the first before designated hitter Dylan Jones (Franklin Pierce) doubled the Silver Knight lead with a two-out double an inning later. Bergeron did a good job limiting the damage throughout his outing, though, stranding two runners on base in each of the first two innings and seven in total.

North Shore scored all four runs it needed in the fourth. After shortstop Andrew Olszak (Southern Maine) and Malgeri drew walks to begin the inning, Lawlor ripped a three-run shot into the parking lot beyond right-center field to put the Navs in the hit column and give them a lead for the first time in the game.

Third baseman Tyler MacGregor (Columbia) hit a sacrifice fly to left field in the fifth to extend the home team’s lead. The Peabody native and St. John’s Prep grad now has five RBI in the last two games, though he went hitless for the first time on the young season.

The Navs closed the scoring two innings later as Malgeri reached on a fielder’s choice and came home on second baseman Dominic Freeberger’s (UNC Asheville) sacrifice fly to right field. Lawlor drew another walk to keep the lineup moving in that frame, marking his third time on base against Nashua starter Patrick Harrington (Assumption) and a handful of relievers.

Speaking of relievers, North Shore’s duo of Arlo Marynczak (Siena) and Beau Dana (Dickinson) was strong behind Bergeron. Marynczak fanned three over three innings of two-hit ball before Dana closed the door with two strikeouts in the ninth.

The Navs return to Campanelli Stadium in Brockton for a Sunday afternoon contest. First pitch against the Rox is set for 3 p.m.