LYNN, Mass. -- A four-run fourth inning powered the North Shore Navigators to a 5-2 victory over the Coastal Division rival Ocean State Waves in Friday night’s New England Collegiate Baseball League game at Fraser Field.

The Navs improved to 11-15 as they picked up their first win over Ocean State this season, while the Waves dropped to 14-12. 

Right fielder Jake McElroy (Holy Cross) had the hot bat Friday, to the tune of a single, RBI double and a walk. Second baseman Luca Trigiani (William & Mary) added a pair of base hits, including an RBI knock during North Shore’s key fourth inning.

Starter Cooper Smith (Stetson) turned in another impressive outing on the bump, pitching five innings without conceding an earned run. He struck out four.

Smith kicked off his outing by striking out two of the first three batters he faced. He kept the dominance going, retiring the first 10 hitters he faced. The left-hander has made five starts this season, and three finished without him allowing an earned run.

When an Ocean State hitter — shortstop Garrett Howe (Samford) — finally did reach base on a walk, catcher Matt Chatelle (Merrimack) threw down to second base to catch Howe stealing the following at-bat.

Then, North Shore’s bats heated up in the bottom of the fourth. Right fielder Stan DeMartinis III (Bentley) reached on a hit-by-pitch on the first pitch of the frame, and Chatelle followed suit with a walk. 

A base hit by first baseman Jackson Hornung (Kansas State) drove home DeMartinis, before McElroy joined the party with a double into deep right-center to plate Hornung. Third baseman Jake Berger (Harvard) tacked on a third run with an RBI grounder, and Trigiani punctuated the inning with a base hit to drive home the fourth run. 

Ocean State pulled one run back in the top of the fifth, after catcher Rob Butler (Rhode Island) crushed a double to dead center field to drive home right fielder Matthew Graveline (Ohio State) and make it a 4-1 game. Chatelle gunned down his second base runner of the game to end the inning. 

The Waves put runners on first and second to kick off the top of the sixth, but reliever Colin Brodeur (Florida Southwestern State) induced a key 6-3 double play to escape the jam and keep Ocean State off the board in the frame. 

Pinch-hitting second baseman Brendan Jones (Holy Cross) tacked on an insurance run with a base hit to right, which scored Hornung and made it a 5-1 game. 

Ocean State scored one run in the ninth inning on a double by designated hitter Jackson Phinney (Bryant), but closer Tristan Ciampa (Northern Essex CC) sent down the next two batters with ease to secure the win. 

The Navs will hit the road Saturday for a 6:30 p.m. date with the Western Division’s Danbury Westerners at Rogers Park.