Toth Sets RBI Record, Owls Bombard the Academy, 26-9

WESTFIELD, Mass.    –  Westfield State University senior SS Jonathan Toth (Granby, Mass./Williston) set a school record with eight runs batted in in the game as the Owls bombarded Mass Maritime Academy, 26-9 in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference opener for both teams at Commodore Hendy Field in Buzzards Bay on Friday afternoon.

Westfield improves to 13-3, 1-0 in the MASCAC, while the Buccaneers are now 8-8 and 0-1 in the league.  The two teams meet in a doubleheader tomorrow at Westfield State's Hagan Field, with an 11:30 a.m. start.  Please note the early start as some weather is anticipated later in the day.

Toth finished 4-5 at the plate, with two home runs, two doubles, eight RBI and a walk.  The eight RBI break the record of seven set by Owls' Hall of Famer Dave Adams in 1994 in an 18-3 win over Western New England.

After popping out in the first inning, Toth roped a 3-run home run to center field in the third inning, added a double to left early in the top of the fifth, and launched another 3-run homer to right later in the inning as Westfield scored 10 runs in the fifth as the Owls scuttled the chances for a Buccaneer comeback.

Toth hit an RBI double down the left field line in the seventh inning, and walked and scored in the eighth. Toth was denied permission to board in the ninth, as Nick Lenfest pinch hit for him with the game comfortably in hand.  Toth is a senior transfer from Muhlenberg (PA) College, where he set their single season record for home runs.   His 12 total bases today were two short of Dave Bevan's WSU record of 14 – also set against MMA – in 1979.

The 4-5 day for Toth lifted his season batting average from .250 to .325 in a single day.

The Westfield barrage continued from the outset of the game, as Nick Marshall launched a 3-run, 400-plus foot home run to right field in the first inning.   Marshall's cannonball was the first of seven Owls' home runs in the game and 10 between the two ballclubs.

Westfield State sophomore 3B John Bessette also homered twice, and Sam Palmer and Chase Racine got in on the act as well.  Palmer and Bessette each finished with four rbi, and Racine had three hits, three runs and three ribeyes.

The Owls broadsided the Academy with 23 hits on the afternoon.  The shelling was weather-aided as the National Weather Service advisory for Buzzards' Bay called for westerly winds of 20-30 knots and low humidty, making the weather perfect for the long ball.

Westfield State started Sean McNamara (W, 3-0) worked five innings while being effectively wild, with seven walks and eight strikeouts while surrendering just three hits. Connor Benvenuto struck out the side in the ninth.

Starter Brendan Baiardi (L, 2-3) took the loss for the Academy, allowing seven hits and seven runs in three innings of work.   Michael Estrada hit a pair of home runs for the Bucs and Evan Viera Added another.