BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State University baseball team edged visiting Worcester State University, 2-1, in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) matchup on Thursday afternoon at Alumni Park.
The Bears improve to 27-8 on the season and 13-3 in the MASCAC, while the Lancers fall to 15-18 overall and 9-7 in conference play. Bridgewater now holds a 65-54 lead in the all-time series.
Matthew Seavey (North Attleboro, Mass.) tossed seven strong innings to pick up his third win of the season. Seavey (3-2) allowed just one run on seven hits with one walk and a season-high 11 strikeouts as he lowered his MASCAC-leading earned run average to 1.64.
The Lancers loaded the bases with one out in the top of the first on a single, a hit by pitch and walk. Seavey, however, induced a harmless pop up and fanned the next batter to strand the runners.
The Bears opened the scoring in the bottom of the first. Scott Emerson (Peabody, Mass.) was hit by a pitch to lead off the frame and, one out later, Cam James (Ipswich, Mass.) walked to put runners at first and second. After a fly out, Riley Thornell (Wareham, Mass.) looped a two-out RBI single into left-centerfield to give the hosts the early 1-0 lead.
The score remained that way until the top of the sixth. Anthony Iamarone (Providence, R.I.) walked with one out, moved to second on a base hit by Chris Ausiello (Tyngsboro, Mass.) and scored on an RBI single by Sean Devin (Lynn, Mass.) to knot the game at 1-1.
Bridgewater got the run right back in the home half of the sixth as the Bears capitalized on a Worcester miscue as well as a key passed ball. After Joey Molis (Cumberland, R.I.) reached on an error, Thornell was hit by pitch and Sean Goudey (Weymouth, Mass.) singled to load the bases with one out. A fielder's choice grounder cut down Molis at the plate for the second out of the inning. A passed ball, however, allowed Thornell to race home from third with the go ahead run.
Cameron Breault (Buzzards Bay, Mass.) came on in relief of Seavey and shut the door in the top of the eighth as he retired the side in order with one strikeout.
The Bears threatened in the bottom of the eighth as Thornell doubled and Goudey reached on an error to put runners on first and second with two out. Nolan DeAndrade (Bridgewater, Mass.) followed with a single to left, but Thornell was thrown out at the plate to end the inning.
Tyler Dasilva-Medeiros (Taunton, Mass.) came on to close out the game in the ninth for the Bears. Dasilva-Medeiros retired all three batters he faced including a pair of strikeouts to record his MASCAC-leading eighth save of the season and the 18th of his career.
Thornell (2-3, 2B, RBI) and Goudey (2-3, 2SB) notched two hits apiece to pace the Bears' offense.
Ben Smith (Bourne, Mass.) went the distance on the mound for the Lancers in the setback. Smith (1-4) gave up two runs (one earned) on five hits over eight innings with two walks and eight strikeouts.
Tom Halliwell (Leominster, Mass.) singled three times in four at bats and stole a base to lead the way for Worcester State. Ausiello (2-4) also recorded multiple hits for the visitors.
Up Next: The two teams wrap up the three game MASCAC series on Friday afternoon at Worcester State. Game one of the doubleheader is slated to get underway at two o'clock.