LYNN, Mass. — Rising Boston College freshman Sal Frelick hit his sixth home run and second grand slam of the season as the North Shore Navigators broke out for double-digit runs for the second consecutive game, defeating the Brockton Rox in Futures Collegiate Baseball League action Tuesday at Fraser Field, 12-3.
North Shore earned its second win in as many days to improve to 10-18, while Brockton snapped a two-game win streak and fell to 15-13.
Frelick went 1-for-2 with two runs scored, two walks, and tied a two-year-old franchise record with six RBI thanks in large part to his fourth-inning grand slam. The Lexington native now leads the FCBL in home runs and tied Brockton center fielder Matt Johnston (MIT) for the lead in RBI with 26.
First baseman Corey DiLoreto (Northeastern) also went 3-for-4 with an RBI and three runs scored, while designated hitter Spencer Brown (Northern Essex C.C.) and catcher Dominic Keegan (Vanderbilt) each posted two hits for the second consecutive game. The Navs set a season-high offensive total for the second straight game despite totaling just 10 hits.
The Rox tagged Navs starter Justin Foley (Bates) for a single run in the first inning as third baseman Zach Gelof (Virginia) led off the game with a double, stole third, and scored on Johnston’s sacrifice fly with one out.
North Shore needed just four combined hits to score six runs over the next two innings and take a lead that ultimately lifted Foley to his second win of the summer.
The first four Navs to come to bat in the second inning crossed home plate after Brockton starter Evan Ferris (Monmouth) allowed three walks and DiLoreto’s first of three singles in as many innings. Brown drew a leadoff walk, stole third, and scored on an errant throw. After Frelick drew a bases-loaded walk, second baseman Joey Murphy (Saint Joseph’s of Maine) hit a sac-fly and Keegan hit a two-out single to left.
Brown and DiLoreto started the third-inning offense with consecutive one-out singles. Left fielder Michael Wynne (Wofford) was then hit by a pitch to load the bases, and right fielder Drew Robertson (LIU Post) walked to force in a run. Frelick drove a sac-fly, extending the North Shore lead to 6-1.
North Shore sent 10 men to the plate and scored six times in the fourth inning to conclude its scoring. The offense started fast as five consecutive batters reached base before an out was recorded, including Keegan who drove a leadoff triple to center. In the next at-bat, center fielder George Sutherland (Cochise) drove home the recent Central Catholic grad with a flare over the middle infield.
After third baseman Elias Varinos (Tufts) walked, Brown and DiLoreto logged back-to-back hits yet again. Rox reliever Brendan Smith (Bates) then struck out two batters with the bases loaded, but Frelick was not to be denied as he lifted a grand slam to right for his third home run in as many games.
Brockton scored single runs in the fourth and fifth on RBI singles from designated hitter Richie Sobalvarro (Barry) and Gelof. Foley scattered 10 hits in his second start of the season for the Navs, but three double play balls helped the St. John’s Prep grad and Lynnfield native allow just three runs over his six innings of work.
The North Shore bullpen was nearly spotless to finish the game as Devin O’Donovan (Austin Peay) pitched one-hit ball and struck out three over two innings before newcomer Ryan Green (Tulane) walked one in a scoreless and hitless ninth.
For Brockton, catcher Jack Kelly (Northwestern) went 3-for-4, while Gelof and first baseman Vinnie Pallisco (UConn) each had two hits and scored a run. Ferris was handed his third loss of the summer after pitching just 1.2 innings of four-run ball. Smith and Chris McGrory (Harvard) each struck out four Navs over a combined five innings to finish the game.
The Navs open a three-game road trip at 7 p.m. Wednesday in Bristol, Conn., and then visit Martha’s Vineyard and Worcester before returning to Fraser Field to host the league-leading Sharks at 5 p.m. Sunday.