SPRINGFIELD, Mass.  -  Sophomore outfielder Carson Cho (Haymarket, Va.) went 3-for-5 with two extra base hits while senior catcher Parker Madden (Ruston, La.) was 3-for-4 to lead Coast Guard baseball's offense to a 5-1 mid-week win at NEWMAC rivals Springfield College. The Bears also benefited from a stellar combined performance by four arms, who struck out nine Pride batsmen during the afternoon scrum.

Springfield moves to a 3-8 NEWMAC record (10-19 overall) following the loss. Next on their schedule is non-conference action versus Keene State College (15-14 overall); the Pride will head down to New London on April 24th to face the Bears in an attempt to even the season series.

A scoreless opening two innings for both teams was quickly broken Coast Guard's two-run top of the third inning. Cho led off by roping one over the Pride center fielder's head and making it around to third base for his first career triple; fellow sophomore Nathan Stafford (Jupiter, Fla.) followed him up with a ground ball to Springfield's second baseman, who sent an off-target throw to home plate in an attempt to prevent Cho from scoring. Stafford advanced to second base on the error and made it to third after Madden singled in the next at-bat. Junior shortstop Rick Barkley (Bellevue, Wash.) hit a sacrifice fly on the ensuing at-bat to help the second-year cross the plate.

Springfield was held off the board through four thanks to a great outing by junior Harrison Milbert (Kingston, Mass.). The right-hander allowed four hits and two walks while striking out three in his opening appearance, eventually earning the win to improve his record to 2-2.

Coast Guard's offense thanked him by adding another run in the top of the fifth, which Stafford led off with a single. He'd make it over to third base with one out before senior Wyatt Duthu (Madison, Ala.) stepped up to the plate and sent a ground ball to the third baseman, setting up a potential double play. The throw to second base was in time but the infielder beat out the play at first, allowing Stafford's run to score.

Replacing Milbert in bottom fifth was fellow third-year righty Raymond Priddy (Chico, Calif.), who ended up allowing two hits and striking out two while pitching through the sixth. Priddy was relieved in the seventh by sophomore right-hander Ryan Karman (Sayville, N.Y.), who allowed Springfield's only run of the game during a solid inning of work.

The Pride got two singles to lead off the bottom seventh before Karman struck out the third batter. He then rolled a ground ball to set up a routine double play, which took out the man heading for second before a throwing error allowed the batter to reach and the runner from second to score. The batter was gunned down by Madden in the next at-bat for the third out.

The Bears turned to another sophomore right-hander in the form of Jackson Dorsey (Newark, Del.) in the eighth, who struck one out and induced two ground outs for a 1-2-3 innings. Coast Guard added some insurance in the top ninth, which Cho led off with a double to right center before getting to third on a wild pitch in Stafford's at-bat, which Stafford ended with a sac fly to center field to bring in his classmate. Madden followed with a single to right field, and then advanced to second when Barkley drew a walk.

Duthu did the honors of driving in Madden with a single to center field, allowing Dorsey to enter the bottom ninth with a comfy 5-1 lead as he went for the second save of both his season and career. Apart from a single and a walk, Dorsey was successful in shutting the doors on a Pride comeback, striking out one more in the process. Freshman outfielder Connor Cilento (Point Pleasant, N.J.) was the only Bear to reach base, doing so with a hit-by-pitch and an infield single.  

Bears baseball improves to 7-4 against league foes (18-12 overall); they'll get a break from non-conference action on April 24th, hosting Mitchell College (20-15 overall). Coast Guard already took one from their crosstown rivals this season with an 18-3 victory back in March.