Westfield State and Worcester State Advance to MASCAC Baseball Quarterfinals

After winning their first round games on Thursday, Westfield State and Worcester State advance to the quarterfinal round of the MASCAC Baseball Tournament which continues with play Thursday afternoon.

May 9, 2024

After winning their first round games on Thursday, Westfield State and Worcester State advance to the quarterfinal round of the MASCAC Baseball Tournament which continues with play Thursday afternoon.

#4 Westfield State 4, #5 Mass. Maritime 2 Box Score

WESTFIELD, Mass. – Sam Palmer (Medfield, Mass.) delivered the go-ahead solo home run in the seventh inning and Ryan Lapierre (Pittsfield, Mass.) struck out nine over eight innings as Westfield State advanced to the MASCAC quarterfinals with a 4-2 victory over Mass. Maritime on Thursday afternoon.

Lapierre (W, 9-0) secured his ninth victory of the season in just his tenth start, allowing two runs (one earned) on seven hits, walking two and punching out nine Buccaneers hitters. The Owls advance into the double elimination portion of the MASCAC Tournament and will face top-seeded Salem State this afternoon with an approximate first pitch at 2:30 P.M. Mass. Maritime have been eliminated from the tournament.

With the game tied at two runs apiece, Palmer unloaded on a long fly ball out to left field that cleared the scoreboard, putting the Owls in front, 3-2. Westfield tacked on an insurance run in the eighth inning with Robison Guerrero Baez (Dominican Republic) spraying a line drive out to left field for a run-scoring single, plating pinch-runner Matt Linehan (Plainville, Mass.).

Joe Espinola (Plymouth, Mass.) relieved Lapierre in the ninth inning, tossing a one-two-three inning to pick up his fourth save of the season, propelling Westfield into the next round of the tournament.

The Owls battled back from an early deficit after Grady Freeman (Worcester, Mass.) put the Buccaneers on the board, launching a solo home run out to left field to put the Buccaneers in front, 1-0. Freeman had an effective day at the plate, clubbing three hits for Mass. Maritime.

In the fifth inning, a pair of walks from Alex Martin (Shrewsbury, Mass.) and Justin Neidel (Attleboro, Mass.) put runners at first and second with one out. Hunter Dean (Plymouth, Mass.) then forced an infield flyout, setting up Nolan Florence (Chicopee, Mass.) with two down. Down to his final strike in the at bat, Florence laced a line drive into the left-centerfield gap to score two runs, giving Westfield a 2-1 lead after five innings.

In the ensuing top half, Damon White (Buzzards Bay, Mass.) led off the frame with a single up the middle, then later in the inning, a fielder's choice and an error allowed White to advance to third base with two outs. During the next at bat, Lapierre slipped off the mound and failed to deliver a pitch, forcing the tying run to score on a balk.

A similar situation occurred in the eighth inning with a balk moving the tying run into scoring position with two outs. However, Lapierre was able to escape the scoring threat, inducing a flyout to Sean Clark (Dudley, Mass.) in leftfield on his 128th pitch of the outing.

Dean took a no decision after logging six innings, surrendering two runs on six hits with two strikeouts and four walks. Buccaneers reliever Brenden Baiardi (Harwinton, Conn.) took the loss, covering the final two innings while giving up two runs.

Clark and Baez each had two hits for the Owls. Freeman and AJ Pietrafesa (Harwinton, Conn.) combined for five of Maritime's seven hits.

The winner of the Owls and Vikings game will advance into the winner's bracket final with a chance to advance into the MASCAC Championship game. The loser will enter the elimination portion of the bracket. Both teams will play tomorrow from Salem, Mass. with game times to follow.

#6 Worcester State 3, #3 Framingham State 1 Box Score

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The sixth-seeded Worcester State University baseball team advanced in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference tournament behind the pitching of Ben Smith (Bourne, Mass.).

Smith struck out 13 and scattered seven hits in a complete-game performance as the Lancers eliminated third-seeded Framingham State University, 3-1, in a play-in game at Alumni Park on Thursday.

The victory sends Worcester State (11-26) into the double-elimination portion of the tourney. The Lancers face host and second-seeded Bridgewater State University Thursday afternoon, and both teams will have games in Salem on Friday.

The Rams had their season end at 16-19. Framingham State had swept three games from Worcester State during the regular-season and finished in a three-way tie for first place in the MASCAC.Smith improved to 4-4 and reached double figures in strikeouts for the third time this season.

Framingham State did not get its first hit until the fourth inning. Smith set the side down in order in the first, second, seventh and ninth innings and he pitched his second straight complete game.

The Lancers opened the scoring with a run in the top of the fourth inning, getting a two-out RBI hit from senior Tom Halliwell (Leominster, Mass.). Sophomore Nathan Thurber (Framingham, Mass.) reached on a fielder's choice after a single by Frankie Hernandez (Framingham, Mass.).

Halliwell delivered Thurber with a double to left field that landed near the warning track. It was Halliwell's eighth double of the season. The Rams tied it with a run in the bottom of the frame
after going hitless in the opening three innings.

Junior Lucas Basile (Upton, Mass.) hit the first pitch of the fourth inning for a single to right-center field and senior Ryan Boyle (Arlington, Mass.) singled through the left side. After the next two batters struck out, sophomore Johnny Lynch (Quincy, Mass.) singled to center with Basile beating the throw home.

Worcester State took a 2-1 lead in the fifth when freshman Kevin Doyle (Bridgewater, Mass.) singled up the middle and stole second. Freshman Ryan Jewett (Natick, Mass.) then bunted
back to the pitcher and was safe for a single with Doyle making it all the way home on the play to break the tie.

The Lancers added a run in the ninth inning when Halliwell walked with the bases loaded for his second RBI of the day. Tyler Smith (Leominster, Mass.) singled, went to
second when Hernandez walked and stole third. Smith was out at the plate on a fielder's choice by Thurber and Anthony Iamarone (Providence, R.I.) singled to load the bases before Halliwell walked.

Framingham State left eight runners on base against Smith while Worcester State stranded 14 runners.

Losing pitcher Josh Sunderland (Mansfield, Mass.) worked 7 2-3 innings, striking out five and allowing two runs and 10 hits.

The Lancers had a 12-7 advantage in hits with Halliwell leading the way with three. Hernandez, Jewett and Kevin Doyle (Bridgewater, Mass.) had two hits apiece for Worcester State.

Releases courtesy of Bridgewater State and Westfield State Sports Information