Owls Pile Up a Staggering 45 Runs in Doubleheader Sweep of Trinity

WESTFIELD, Mass. – Westfield State senior Sam Palmer (Medfield, Mass.) collected two home runs, eight RBI, five hits and five runs score to boost an Owls offense that recorded an unfathomable 45 runs as part of a doubleheader sweep of Trinity College in non-conference action from Hartford, Conn. on Saturday.

The Owls (3-1) overcame a five-run deficit in game one, posting five-straight multi-run innings to soar ahead 24-18 in game one with the offense continuing to pour on runs in game two with Westfield completing the sweep with a 21-10 win.

GAME 1

The Owls clubbed four home runs in the opener as Dan Burnett (Granville, Mass.) got the scoring started with a solo homer in the first before Trinity would tally four in the bottom half of the frame, then two in the second inning to pull ahead 6-1 after two frames.

Westfield flipped the script in the middle innings, scoring 15 combined runs in the third and fourth innings. For the second time this season, Palmer and Nick Marshall (Reading, Mass.) launched back-to-back home runs to trim the deficit to two runs. Then with two outs and nobody aboard, the next eight Owls reached base with Jonathan Toth (Granby, Mass.) putting the Owls ahead with a RBI single, scoring two on the at bat to make it a 7-6 Owls lead.

Alex Martin (Shrewsbury, Mass.) kept the rally going with a run-scoring single, with Martin eventually crossing home plate on a wild pitch, capping an eight-run inning to put Westfield up by three.

Martin's two-run double kickstarted the scoring in the fourth in what ended up being another huge inning for Westfield. Several Bantams errors allowed the Owls to drive the lead up to eight runs before Thomas LaSpada (West Hartford, Conn.) punctuated the frame with a two-RBI single into left as the Owls posted 16 runs in just four innings.

Palmer deposited his second home run of the game over the right field fence to begin the fifth inning which saw the Owls top the 20-run mark. A furious ten-run sixth from Trinity brought the game back to a five-run contest before Westfield scored three additional runs in the top half of the seventh to officially put the game out of reach.

In total, the Owls offense notched 24 runs on 12 hits with four home runs, 14 walks and just six strikeouts.

Junior pitcher Sean Shea (Longmeadow, Mass.) stabilized the Owls pitching staff in the middle innings, tossing two shutout frames to pick up the win.

GAME 2

The Owls unrelenting offensive unit continued in the top half of the first in game two. Burnett and Devin Slattery (Ware, Mass.) began the inning with run-scoring hits, then Toth belted a single into center to plate two runs. A Bantams passed ball led to a fifth run crossing home, making it a 5-0 Owls lead.

Chase Racine (Pittsfield, Mass.) added to the lead with a two-run home run in the second, the Owls fifth long ball of the doubleheader. Westfield was in no real danger of squandering the lead in game two, pushing the team's run total into double digits after an ugly inning for Trinity which resulted in four straight runs scoring via bases loaded walks before Burnett rocketed a grand slam down the left field line to complete a nine-run fourth inning.

Palmer, Burnett, Racine, Slattery, and Toth all had multi-RBI games for the Owls who as a team finished with five extra base hits, 15 total hits, and 12 walks in the nightcap. The game was called in the seventh inning due to darkness.

Colton Vasseur (Colchester, Conn.) got the nod in game two, picking up the victory after allowing four runs in three innings.

The Owls will travel south to Vero Beach, Florida for their next six games with Westfield meeting Marywood University on Monday in a doubleheader set from Fort Pierce beginning at 4:00 P.M.