Vikings Split Doubleheader With Bears

SALEM, Mass. -- Jay Wladkowski's  (Norwood, Mass.) two-out, two-run double in the top of the tenth propelled Bridgewater State to a 5-3 extra-innings win over Salem State in the first game of their scheduled Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) doubleheader on Thursday afternoon at the Central Campus Baseball Field. Luke Tamulevich (Whitman, Mass.) and Cam James (Ipswich, Mass.) walked and singled to lead off the inning before Wladkowski laced a double into centerfield to score the go-ahead runs. Matt Josselyn (Hanson, Mass.) pitched five innings in relief to earn up the win.

Game two, saw Vikings' starter Nicholas Rector (Mantua, N.J.) allow just one hit over five innings as Salem State came back to salvage a split with a 4-1 victory over the Bears. Salem State goes to 3-2 and 2-2 in the MASCAC while Bridgewater State stands at 5-10 and 2-4 in conference.

Game One

Bridgewater State wasted a lead-off single by Colin Josselyn (Hanson, Mass.) and walk to Wladkowski (Norwood, Mass.) to start the second. A sacrifice bunt put runners on second and third, but starter Jimmy Burton (Rutland, Mass.) worked out of the jam, retiring the next two batters in order.

Jake Boucher (Chesire, Conn.) generated the first run for the Vikings, reaching on a fielder's choice in the second. Following a stolen base and groundout, Boucher scored on a passed ball to make the score 1-0.

The Bears answered in the third when Kevin Lindsay (East Bridgewater, Mass.) led off the inning with a walk and a perfectly placed bunt by Tamulevich put runners on first and second. A groundout moved both runners before Joey Molis (Cumberland, R.I.) plated two on a throwing error by the third baseman giving Bridgewater State a 2-1 lead.

The Bears threatened in the fifth after a one-out walk to James. A wild pitch moved James to second. Molis then lined a single to left, but leftfielder Jack Sefrino (Dartmouth, Mass.) threw out James at the plate to end the inning.

Salem State's Christian Burt (Lynn, Mass.) opened the bottom of the fifth with a bunt single. A stolen base and throwing error, followed by an error on a failed pick off tied the game. Two walks and a single loaded the bases with one out, but Bridgewater State starter David Kerns (East Cambridge, Mass.) retired the side without further damage.

John Mondello (Gloucester, Mass.) replaced Burton in the sixth for Salem State. Mondello retired the first two batters, but Matt Pigeon (Canton, Mass.) put the Bears back on top in the sixth with a two-out triple to right center, scoring Patrick Cashin (Franklin, Mass.) from second base.

Kerns exited in the sixth, replaced by Matt Jocelyn (Hanson, Mass.). Kerns gave up two runs – none earned – on three hits with three strikeouts.

Burton allowed two runs – none earned – on four hits, with four walks and five strikeouts.

The Vikings rallied in the seventh, tying the game on a one-out double to right by Tim Catalano (Brewster, N.Y.) off reliever Matt Jocelyn, scoring  EJ Field (Gloucester, Mass.) from third, who drew a leadoff walk.

Salem State wasted a leadoff double by Traverse Briana (Lynn, Mass.) in the eighth, as Matt Jocelyn held the Vikings in check, with two strikeouts and a pop-up to third. 

Brock Pare (Lowell, Mass.), who replaced Mondello, took the loss after giving up the game-winning hit to Wladkowski. Pare allowed two runs on two hits, with four strikeouts in 4.1 innings of relief. Matt Jocelyn notched his second win of the season, giving up just one run on four hits with two walks and three strikeouts. 

Game Two

Salem State pushed across the first run of the game in the third. Jomar Moreta (Lynn, Mass.), who was hit by a pitch, came home on a single to center by Christian Burt (Lynn, Mass.) after the throw to third base was misplayed. 

The Vikings extended their lead with a three-run fourth, stringing together four hits, including an RBI double by Brahiam Ortega (Lawrence, Mass.) and an RBI single by Moreta.

Bridgewater State's Guy Quartarone (Foxborough, Mass.) entered the game in the sixth for starter Colin Josselyn (Hanson, Mass.), who was charged with four runs – three earned on seven hits with one strikeout.

Meanwhile, Rector allowed only a second inning single to Wladkowski and just four base runners overall before being replaced by Sefrino after issuing a leadoff walk to Tamulevich in the sixth.

Cashin ended the shutout in the sixth, putting the Bears on the board with just their second hit of the game with a run scoring infield single. Bridgewater State put two on in the seventh, but Sefrino got James to line out to third for the final out.

Sefrino gave up three hits and was not charged with a run allowed in two innings of work. The sophomore did register four strikeouts.

Burt, Boucher and Field all recorded two hits for the Vikings.