Marshall Punctuates Epic Comeback in Owls Split Versus Framingham

WESTFIELD, Mass. – Westfield State senior Nick Marshall (Reading, Mass.) tagged a game-tying three run home run with two outs in the seventh inning then walked off in the eighth inning as the Owls split a MASCAC doubleheader with Framingham State on Saturday afternoon from Hagan Field in Westfield, Mass.

The Owls erased a pair of six run deficits to force extra innings in both games as Jonathan Toth (Granby, Mass.) got drilled by a pitch to secure an 11-10 game one win before rallying back to get game two in extra frames where the Rams held on to win 10-9. The Owls win the regular season series with the split after hitting six home runs in a 22-5 win at Framingham on Friday.

GAME 1

The Owls (20-9, 7-6 MASCAC) were staring down an uphill battle in the seventh inning, trailing 10-4 heading into their final at bats of the game. Alex Martin (Shrewsbury, Mass.) hit a sac fly to cut the lead to five as the Owls reloaded the bases with one out, turning the lineup over to the top of the order.

Sam Palmer (Medfield, Mass.) skied a high pop up into shallow right field which was caught, allowing another run to cross the plate and make it a four-run game with the Owls down to their final out. Dan Burnett (Granville, Mass.) beat out an infield hit to shortstop, allowing another run to score which brought the tying run to the dish in Marshall.

Marshall delivered in a critical moment, crushing a no-doubter over the scoreboard in right field for a three-run home run, tying the game at ten runs apiece to send the game into extra innings.

Michael Hall (Westfield, Mass.) worked around a pair of baserunners to hold Framingham off the scoreboard, setting up the Owls walk-off victory. The Owls capitalized on a pair of mistakes and two hit batsmen to win the game after Toth was hit by a pitch to secure the emphatic come-from-behind win.

Westfield had an initial lead in game one after Chase Racine (Pittsfield, Mass.) wrapped a two-RBI double into left centerfield, but Framingham responded in the top of the second with an impactful inning.

JC Espinal (Peabody, Mass.) started the inning with a solo home run to left field, beginning a frame which saw ten Rams step to the plate. Lucas Basile (Upton, Mass.) and Christian Cox (Shoreham, N.Y.) both recorded run-scoring singles, then Steven Burbank (Canton, Mass.) rocketed a two-run triple to left center to make it a 6-2 Rams lead.

Four additional runs came in to score in the third on a pair of walks and two sacrifice flies to increase the advantage to 10-2.

Burnett and Devin Slattery (Ware, Mass.) each recorded RBIs in the second and third innings. In the third inning, Westfield had a prime opportunity to cut into a six run deficit, but a stinging line drive from Toth ended up directly at Burbank for an inning ending double play.

The Owls bullpen did a masterful job of keeping the Rams bats down for the final 5.1 innings of the game, with Sean Shea (Longmeadow, Mass.) first out of the bullpen, logging 3.1 scoreless frames. Brendan Goonan (Raynham, Mass.) and Hall also pitched scoreless frames, allowing for the Owls offense to break through in the seventh.

GAME 2

The Owls buried themselves in a six-run hole again in game two and nearly climbed back out of the deficit for a second time on the day. Burbank put the Rams in front on a double in the first, then Cox added another run in the third on a double to left field.

The Framingham lead reached six runs in the fourth frame after consecutive RBI singles from Danny Robichaud (Dracut, Mass.) and Basile. Massimo Mondi (Rockaway, N.J.) pushed the lead to six runs on a two-run single that was hit back up the middle and into centerfield.

Westfield has held scoreless for the first four inning of the game before ripping off another sizeable crooked number in the fifth. Burnett opened the scoring with a two-run double to right centerfield for the Owls first runs of the contest.

With two outs in the inning and the Owls trailing by five runs, Westfield sent six consecutive hitters to the plate, resulting in five additional runs to pull ahead, 8-7. Racine rocketed a liner to first base to bring home John Bessette (Andover, Mass.).

Thomas LaSpada (West Hartford, Conn.) was hit by a pitch, then Toth walked to bring in another run, cutting the deficit to two runs. Westfield batted around back to Bessette who deposited a game-tying single into right field to tie the game at six. Martin gave Westfield a lead on the next at bat, beating out an infield hit to shortstop to take a 7-6 advantage.

The Rams were quick to answer in the ensuing top half off a pair of doubles from Basile and Cox. Westfield would respond again in the home half of the sixth on a two-out single to right from Racine which tied the game again.

Both teams went down in order in the seventh, pushing the game into extra innings for the second time on the day. Rosco Palmer (Shelburne Falls, Mass.) started the eighth by hitting a double down the leftfield line, then Mondi was hit by a pitch, putting two runners on with nobody out. Cox followed and knocked a single into left field to score Palmer, giving Framingham a one-run lead.

Framingham then loaded the bases with nobody out and the Owls nearly escaped the inning without allowing any additional runs after a pair of force outs to home plate, but on the second grounder to home, a throwing error allowed a second run to score.

Similar to how the entire day went, the Owls would not go down quietly, with Burnett leading off the inning with a double to the centerfield warning track. With two outs in the inning, Colin Ryan (Pittsfield, Mass.) singled to right field to keep the game alive, scoring Burnett to make it a one-run game.

Stephen Carrozza (Pearl River, N.Y.) drew a walk in a pinch-hit appearance, putting the tying run in scoring position and the winning run on first. However, Rams reliever PJ Moniz (Berkley, Mass.) entered for a one-out save, forcing a deep flyout to left off the bat of Toth to end a marathon day at Hagan Field.

Jason Strickland (Miller Place, N.Y.) got the win for the Rams after three innings in relief, allowing two runs. Hall (L, 4-1) took the loss in his second appearance of the day.

Westfield State will be back in action on Monday at Hagan Field against MCLA for a conference doubleheader beginning at noon.