After missing the entirety of the 2009-2010 season with Tommy John surgery, baseball first baseman/pitcher Pat Nicholson '11 has bounced back in a big way this season. The senior is third on the team in both batting average and ERA so far this season, hitting at a .346 clip and pitching to a 4.09 ERA. Nicholson has also been a key factor in the team's hot play as of late, as he had two game-winning hits and a win last week."We have been very solid lately; we've been playing good defense, and our pitching has been very good, which are the two most important things," Nicholson said. "We've also had some timely hitting which is very important as well," he added.

In the first game of a doubleheader against the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth last Sunday, Nicholson went 2-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Nicholson's run came in the fourth inning when he led off with a double to begin the comeback.

Nicholson moved to the mound in the sixth inning and pitched two innings of one-run ball. In the seventh inning of a tied game, Nicholson singled to second base to plate center fielder Tony Deshler '11 to win the game for the Judges and also give him his second win of the season.

"I was just looking to put the ball in play and, fortunately, I was able to drive him in," Nicholson said of the play.

Nicholson also drove in the final two runs of the team's 5-3 victory over Rhode Island College last week. Nicholson was the only player in the game with multiple RBIs.

Despite being a senior, Nicholson retains a year of eligibility because of missed time from the surgery, and will return to play for the Judges next year as a graduate student. With the way Nicholson has played as of late, the team will be thrilled to have him for an extra season.