Myrtle Beach, SC- The Worcester State Baseball team was back in action today taking on New England College in a 7-inning double header battle. The Lancers took game one in quick fashion, securing the 6-2 victory before dropping the second in the final half inning of action 8-7.
The Lancers quickly worked through the top of the Pilgrims batting order in the first before taking a crack at some swings in the bottom and Worcester did not hold back. Sophomore Tyler Smith (Leominster, MA) was first on base after a walk from the Pilgrim's pitcher. Senior Zack Landry (Mashpee, MA), two batters later, sent a line drive towards the shortstop with the ball just sailing just over Smith's head, but an error by the shortstop allowed Landry to find first. A single from senior Alex Sorenti-Burns (Sagamore Beach, MA) loaded up the bases briefly but Tyler Smith's attempt at a tight snag of home plate caused him to be thrown out at the plate. Sophomore Anthony Iamarone's (Providence, RI) at bat resulted in a line drive double to left center field, scoring Landry. A graduate student Sean Devin (Lynn, MA) single towards second in the following at bat brought around Sorenti-Burns as Iamarone raced down the tag at the plate for run number three for the Lancers.
The second inning saw some solid pitch work and defense by senior Brett Bucklin (Lynn, MA), who kept the Pilgrims off the board. Worcester followed in New England's footsteps in the bottom of the inning, getting runners on base, but were unable to bring them home. Worcester was back in scoring action in the third inning when a Sorenti-Burns single to center field put the first batter of the inning on base. A walk on Iamarone found two runners on, when a Devin single, finding him racing the throw to first to win the bag, allowed Sorenti-Burns to run home. A first year Aaron Siegal (Abington, MA) single into the gap that was bobbled by the shortstop filled up the bases again for first year Gavin Wells (North Attleboro, MA) single to left field to bring home Devin and Iamarone to make it a 6-0 game. A quick out and a double play limited the scoring in the inning for Worcester to just three runs. New England managed to grab a run back in fourth, but a quick fly out ended the at bat before more damage could be done.
The fifth innings for both teams left an empty scoreboard as each fielded their way to clean sheet innings, but the sixth inning saw New England regain a run when Cote scored off a Worcester error to make it 6-2. First year Nolan Turner (Barnstable, MA) stepped in for the top of the seventh in a bid to get the save for Worcester State in game one versus New England College. After an early walk, Turner settled in to preserve the win in one inning of work for the Lancers.
Bucklin (86-60) went 6-innings for the Lancers allowing two runs on four hits, striking out four. Devin led the Lancers with three RBIs and going 2-3 at bat.
Worcester State looked to grab a second win in the afternoon in game two of their double header, and got things started early with senior Zack Roberts (Northbridge, MA), Sorenti-Burns and Iamarone getting onto base early with only a single out on the scoreboard. Devin's walk after working the pitcher to a full count walked in Roberts for run number one for the game. The Pilgrims pitcher regained his composure as the inning progressed and managed to pitch his way out of the loaded up bases, allowing the single run. A deep line drive single to center field tied up the game in the bottom of the first as New England College brought home Hagerty to make the game 1-1.
The second inning began similar to the first as the Lancers quickly put one runner on base but were unable to secure a run in the inning. The Pilgrims did not have the same issue in the second, scoring a run off a deep double to go up 2-1. The third inning started the same as previous for the Lancers as Iamarone found himself on first, this time after being hit by a pitch. A ground out from Devin moved him to second where a walk on sophomore Xavier Quezada (Providence, RI) found runners on first and second. A double steal sequence quickly moved both within scoring position with still only a single out on the board. Junior Tom Halliwell (Leominster, MA) was then walked to load up the bases for sophomore Mason Bates (Shrewsbury, MA) at bat. Bates hit a sacrifice grounder to second that sent Iamarone home to tie the game up at 2 apiece. First year Joe Auger (Lowell, MA) stepped up to the plate with two outs and two on looking to find the lead, but his deep hit to right field was snagged by the outfielder for out number three. There was some minor excitement in the third with two outs, when a controversy at the plate resulted in the Pilgrims batter advancing to first on a dropped third strike, in the end it was for naught as the Lancers junior Nick Bousquet (Athol, MA) struck out the next batter to end the inning.
As seems to be the trend in this second game, the Lancers quickly got someone on in the fourth when senior Chris Ausiello (Tyngsboro, MA) found himself on base after the right fielder dropped a routine flyball. This inning ended differently from the rest as Iamarone nailed the ball deep into center field for a two-run homer and the lead. A pitching change by New England in the fifth seemed to settle the Lancers offense as they were unable to get a single runner on base in the inning. The quick pace carried over into the bottom of the inning as Turner came in for relief and went 1-2-3 with the Pilgrims batters. The trend held for most of the sixth inning until New England came back up to bat. Turner took the first two batters down but two batters hit by the pitch and a sinking double brought a run home and the tying run on third. The next batter sent his pitch short to the left fielder who stepped in to grab the out and preserve the 1-run lead.
Worcester State made a run to extend the lead in the seventh with Quezada walking onto first and a misplayed bunt by the Pilgrims off the bat of Halliwell resulting in two on and no outs. Bates then sent a drive down third, which was mishandled by the baseman to result in a bases loaded situation for Worcester. Auger's single saw Quezada and Halliwell cross home for two runs and a 6-3 lead. With two outs recorded, Sorenti-Burns was hit by a pitch to give Worcester another opportunity with the bases loaded. A passed ball brought home Bates for run number three of the inning. New England attempted the comeback in the bottom of the seventh as the Lancers sent first year Zachary Scotti (Warwick, RI) to the mound in hopes of closing out the game. The first batter walked onto base while the second rocked a double just over the left fielder's head to gain one run back. A single by the next batter brought the tying run to the plate and a change at pitcher as junior Jared Kapurch (Charlton, MA) came in looking for three outs to end the game, but in the end the Pilgrims mounted a comeback, scoring 5 runs in the bottom of the inning to come away with the win.
Bousquet (86-50) pitched 3.2 innings allowing three hits and striking out five. Iamarone and Auger recorded two RBIs in the game.
The Lancers are back in action tomorrow when they take on SUNY Plattsburgh and 2022 National Champions Eastern Connecticut State at the Cal Ripken Center in Myrtle Beach.