LYNN, Mass. (July 12, 2025) 一 The North Shore Navigators came from behind for their second consecutive win, scoring three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to upend the visiting Mystic Schooners 3-1 in Saturday’s New England Collegiate Baseball League game at Fraser Field.
North Shore, which pitched a 3-0 Friday night shutout at the Vermont Mountaineers, moved to 11-17 on the summer. Mystic dropped its fifth straight and now sits 13-18.
After back-and-forth scoreless frames through six innings, the Navs responded to Mystic’s single run in the seventh with a three-run eighth and slammed the door shut. Center fielder Sam Parks (Stonehill) recorded the game-winning RBI.
Left fielder Nater Wachter (UConn) started North Shore’s game-winning inning with a one-out infield single before pinch hitter Alec Welshans (La Salle) roped a tying triple into the right-center field in his first Navigator plate appearance. After Mystic reliever Sam Hutchinson (UConn) induced a pop fly for the second out, Parks sent the go-ahead run home thanks to a single to right.
After third baseman Davis Baker (Penn) drew a walk, first baseman Alex Marot (Charleston Southern) added to North Shore’s lead with an RBI base hit up the middle to extend the Navs’ advantage.
Swampscott native Pierce Friedman (Maine) slammed the door shut in the ninth, striking out two of the three batters he faced to post his first save of the season. Friedman’s performance bookended another strong outing from North Shore pitching, as starter Joseph Hauser (Northeastern) allowed just two hits and struck out nine across the first five innings.
Hauser struck out multiple baters in four of his five frames, getting out of his first real jam following back-to-back walks with one out in the fifth. Mystic starter Mike Poncini (Quinnipiac) was equally as strong, limiting the hosts to a single hit through the first six frames.
Mystic broke the dueling shutout when shortstop Anthony Belisario (UConn) drew a bases-loaded free pass in the seventh, but Ray McNaught (Winthrop) relieved Stefano Yozzo (Middlebury) and got out of the jam by inducing a 4-6-3 double play ball turned by second baseman Simmi Whitehill (Monmouth) and shortstop Jack Rickheim (Harvard).
Before taking the lead, the North Shore defense helped Cole Yennaco (Merrimack) through another bases-loaded situation in the eighth, lifting the reliever to his first win to go along with three saves this summer. Back-to-back-to-back singles were erased with a fielder’s choice grounder that cut down a run at the plate and another double play ball in the middle infield.
Third baseman Jake Kernodle (Princeton) recorded two of Mystic’s five hits, while first baseman Eric Cha (Northeastern) scored the lone run. Hutchinson took the loss.
The Navs return to North Division action on Sunday when they make their final cross-state trek to North Adams to face the SteepleCats at Joe Wolfe Field. First pitch is set for 4:05 p.m.