MANSFIELD, Conn. -- The Eastern Connecticut State University Warriors posted a 7-4 victory over visiting Bridgewater State College in non-conference collegiate baseball action on Wednesday afternoon.
Eastern improves to 18-6 with the win, while Bridgewater dips to 12-10.
Chris Thomson extended his hitting streak to nine with two hits and Melvin Castillo and Andrew Dewing hit home runs to power the Warriors.
First-year sophomore Mitch Furber allowed three runs over the first six innings to earn his second win in his second decision. He allowed only one run through the first six innings before departing after giving up hits to the first two batters of the sixth.
Leading 5-4, the Warriors scored two key insurance runs in the eighth after there were two out and none on. Thomson singled and No. 8 hitter Joe Cousineau doubled and after a walk loaded the bases, leadoff hitter John Parke singled them in.
The program’s all-time home run leader, Castillo hit a two-run blast to give Eastern the lead for good in the bottom of the first, 2-1, and Dewing added a two-run shot in the fourth to make it 4-1. The home run was the third of the season for both of them.
No. 3 hitter Matt Greenberg had two doubles and two RBI for Bridgewater and Jake Roderick had three hits. Leadoff hitter Brian Medairos and Greenberg doubled off Furber in the first inning to give the Bears a 1-0 lead but Furber retired nine of the next ten batters.
Trailing 5-1, Bridgewater rallied for three runs in the top of the seventh as Greg Steele singled to lead off the frame and advanced to third on a double by Tory Buck. After an RBI groundout plated Steele, Greenberg and Tom Couet connected on back-to-back RBI doubles to make it a one-run game.