North Shore Navigators

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Blues Hold Off Navs Tuesday at Fraser

LYNN, Mass. (July 22, 2025) 一 The North Shore Navigators scored a pair of first-inning runs, but ultimately dropped a 4-2 decision to the Bristol Blues in Tuesday night’s New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL) game at Fraser Field.

North Shore moved to 14-21 on the summer, while Bristol improved to 25-12 with a sixth consecutive win to maintain a lead in the South Division. 

Right fielder Ethan Wilson (Winthrop) went 2-for-4 with an RBI to lead North Shore, which led 2-1 after one inning before the visitors scored once in the fourth and twice in the fifth to take control. Navs pitchers recorded 14 strikeouts and allowed just six hits in the game, with starter Elliott Eaton (Princeton) fanning seven across the first five innings. 

The relief duo of Swampscott native Pierce Friedman (Maine) and Ryan Griffin (Northeastern) worked 3.1 innings of scoreless, one-hit ball to conclude the game. Friedman recorded two of his four outs by way of the strikeout in his 43rd career summer appearance, which is one shy of tying the franchise’s NECBL-era record. Griffin then worked around two walks to strike out five across two scoreless frames.

Bristol took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when center fielder Tommy Ahlers (Keene State) recorded an RBI fielder’s choice following back-to-back singles by left fielder CJ Egrie (Holy Cross) and designated hitter Mika Petersen (Brown). Eaton did well to limit the damage, striking out back-to-back batters en route to finishing with seven across the first five innings.

The Navs immediately responded to flip the score, with designated hitter Jackson Powers (Saint Anselm) drawing a leadoff walk and advancing to second on a wild pitch before center fielder Nater Wachter (UConn) tied the game on an opposite-field RBI single in the next at-bat. 

After Bristol starter Brant Vinci (Manhattan) recorded the first two outs of the opening frame and issued a walk to All-Star catcher Aukai Kea (Vanderbilt), Wilson beat out an infield single to shortstop which drove home the Navs’ go-ahead run.

Eaton struck out the first batter of Bristol’s fourth, but back-to-back doubles to left by second baseman Alex Irizarry (Quinnipiac) and catcher Scott Gell (Stony Brook) knotted the score again. In the sixth, three walks in a four-batter span loaded the bases and Petersen knocked a go-ahead, two-run single past diving North Shore first baseman Alex Marot (Charleston Southern). 

After JT Landwehr (Portland) relieved Vinci and pitched shutout ball for the next 4.1 innings en route to the victory, the Navs made a valiant effort in the ninth. Left fielder Alec Welshans (La Salle) and pinch-hitting outfielder Sam Parks (Stonehill) drew back-to-back walks, and another free pass to Powers two batters later. Bristol closer Pedro Leon (Holy Cross) iwas able to post the save, though, recording back-to-back outs thereafter.

The Navs hit the road for the first time since the NECBL All-Star break when they take on the North Division-leading Keene SwampBats in a 6:30 p.m. Wednesday contest from Alumni Field.