By Jim Fenton

SALEM, Mass. -- For the third consecutive year, the Bridgewater State University baseball team rules the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference.

The Bears became the first program in MASCAC tournament history to win three straight championships on Saturday afternoon, earning another trip to the NCAA Division 3 tourney.

Second-seeded BSU won its third game in three days, defeating top-seeded Salem State University, 4-2, to accomplish the three-peat.

"It's pretty cool," said Bears coach Greg Zackrison. "Winning it the first time was as we were rebuilding, year two was sweet because we had a lot of the same guys and the third one we did without the same pitching staff as last year.

"Winning three in a row is hard to do. It's great. It gives us a lot of validation. You win three in a row and it shows you have a program. There were players (from last year's team) who came to the game today and had two rings on. You create a culture."

Junior Shane Handrahan (Raynham, Mass.) and sophomore reliever CJ Hess (Providence, R.I.) combined on a six-hitter and the tournament's most valuable player, Scott Emerson (Peabody, Mass.), had three hits including a double.

The Bears (26-14) will learn Monday at noon their opponent for the opening-round of the NCAA tourney, which begins on Friday at a site to be determined. BSU will be making its 17th appearance in the NCAAs.

BSU swept through the MASCAC with a 3-0 record for the third year in a row, defeating Worcester State, 16-7, at home on Thursday and Salem State, 5-3, on Friday.

The Bears, Salem State and Framingham State finished in a tie for first place in the regular season with 14-7 records.

Handrahan (5-1) allowed two runs and six hits with three strikeouts in seven innings. That matched the longest stint of Handrahan's career as he also went seven innings against the Massachusetts Maritime Academy in 2023.

"Shane's been really hot," said Zackrison. "The last four starts, he's been really good. We expected him to be this guy."

Hess worked the final two innings, walking two and allowing no hits.

Emerson, the leadoff hitter, went 8-for-14 in the tournament with three doubles and three RBI. He scored six runs, including five in the opener.

BSU, which was the home team, took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Emerson had an infield hit, went to second when Kevin Lindsay (East Bridgewater, Mass.) walked and to third on a groundout by Ryan Flaherty (Duxbury, Mass.). He scored on a sacrifice fly by Steven Simon (Hanover, Mass.).

The Vikings scored their lone two runs in the third inning.

They loaded the bases when Mark Smith (East Haven, Conn.) singled through the left side, Yabdriel Gonzalez (New Haven, Conn.) singled to center and Brady Boucher (Taunton, Mass.) had an infield hit.

Smith scored when James Dolan (Rockland, Mass.) was hit by a pitch.

Antonio Belgrove (Stamford, Conn.) then singled to right-center for the 2-1 lead, but right fielder Jay Wladkowski (Norwood, Mass.) threw out a runner at the plate.

BSU tied the game in the fourth inning on a two-out RBI double to right by Joe Frechette (Plymouth, Mass.). DJ Prampin (Worcester, Mass.) had singled to center and advanced on a Joshua Selander (Granby, Conn.) single to right.

The Bears broke the tie with two runs in the sixth inning.

Simon singled up the middle and Wladkowski singled with both moving up on a sacrifice bunt by Mathew Pigeon (Canton, Mass.). With two outs, Selander doubled them both home.

Salem State had two runners on in the ninth via walks but Hess retired the final batter on a popout.

Emerson (3-for-4) and Selander (2-for-3) combined for five of BSU's nine hits.

Bobby Jellison (Salem, Mass.) was the losing pitcher, allowing four runs and seven hits in 5 1-3 innings.

"We were 9-10 at one point this season, but the bats came alive and the pitching settled in," said Zackrison. "We've really battled."

The MASCAC tourney began in 2001 and BSU has eight championships to lead the conference, ahead of Worcester State with six.

The Bears have won 17 of their last 21 games since April 11.

BSU hosted the opening rounds of the NCAAs last May, defeating Endicott before losing to Johnson & Wales and Endicott.

Salem State advanced into the championship round by edging fourth-seeded Westfield State, 2-1, earlier Saturday.