WORCESTER, Mass. - The Worcester State University baseball team split a non-conference doubleheader with Fisher College on Wednesday afternoon at Lyons Diamond.
With the split, Worcester State moves to 7-1 on the season, while Fisher moves to 20-7.
Game 1 - Fisher 5, Worcester State 2
Worcester State's program record six-game season-opening win streak came to a close to game one, as Fisher pitching shut down the hot Lancer bats.
The Lancers drew first blood in the contest, scoring on a Mike Chaves Jr. (Hudson, Mass.) sacrifice fly in the bottom of the first inning. Fisher would level the score in the top of the third on an RBI groundout from Victor Torres (Rochester, N.Y.). In the bottom of the frame, Worcester State got the run right back on an RBI double from junior Thomas DiBattista (Hudson, Mass.), but that would be the end of the Lancer offense on the day.
Fisher took their first lead of the day by putting up three runs in the top of the fifth inning. The Falcons tied the score on an RBI single from Jacob Deziel (Merrimac, Mass.), before taking the lead on a Jonathan Rosado (Bayamon, Puerto Rico) two-run single.
In the top of the sixth, Fisher added some insurance when Ivanuel Hernandez (Caguas, Puerto Rico) put one over the right field fence, putting his team up 5-2, a lead that would hold up until the contest's conclusion.
Kyle Gray (Braintree, Mass.) took the loss for Worcester State, throwing five innings and allowing three earned on five hits. In relief, Joey Zawisza (Newington, Conn.) threw four shutout innings, allowing only one hit. Andrews Meletiche (Guayanilla, Puerto Rico) got the win for Fisher, allowing just two earned runs on seven hits in seven innings of work.
Game 2 - Worcester State 1, Fisher 0 (9 innings)
In what was only scheduled as a seven-inning contest, game two of the twinbill proved to be a pitchers' duel that would require extra innings to be resolved.
After eight and a half innings of scoreless baseball, sophomore Chris Ausiello (Tyngsboro, Mass.) sent the Lancers home happy with a two-out RBI single up the middle, plating Sean Devin (Lynn, Mass.) from third for a walk-off win.
Lancer hurlers Ben Smith (Bourne, Mass.) and Issiac Christiansen (Franklin, Maine) combined to allow just three hits in the contest, outdueling Fisher's Christian Dow (Rochester, N.H.). The junior threw a complete game, allowing just seven hits and the one unearned run for the hard-luck loss. Christiansen was credited with the victory on the hill.
DiBattista and junior Brett Blackwell (Haverhill, Mass.) led the way for Worcester State offensively with two hits each in the victory.
The two teams will meet again on Thursday for games three and four of a five-game set at Fraser Field in Lynn. First pitch of the doubleheader is slated for 2 p.m.
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