Worcester State/Westfield State Box Score

Salem State/Framingham State Box Score

Courtesy of Worcester State Sports Information

Worcester State 16, Westfield State 5

The top-seeded Worcester State Lancers and the second-seeded Salem State Vikings advance to the winners bracket of the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference Baseball Tournament after winning their quarterfinal games on Saturday afternoon.

With the wins, the Vikings and Lancers are set to face off at 1 p.m. Sunday afternoon  while Framingham State and Westfield State start off the semifinal round Sunday morning at 10 am to decide who will continue on in the tournament at Rockwood Park in Worcester.

In the first quarterfinal of the afternoon, junior Jeff Bolio (Oxford, MA) registered two hits, three runs and four RBIs – including a three-run homer – to help lift top-seeded Worcester State to an 16-5 victory over #4 Westfield State in the MASCAC Baseball Tournament quarterfinals this afternoon at the Kevin Lyons Baseball Diamond.

Sophomore Dennis Duplessis (Marlboro, MA) also had a strong day at the plate for the Blue and Gold with two hits and a trio of RBIs while freshman Jake Ryan(Whitinsville, MA) went 3-for-4. Duplessis, Ryan and Bolio all touched home three times.

Other standout hitters included sophomore Steve Wallace (Auburn, MA), junior David Ruggiero (Peabody, MA) and classmate Cody Osburn who all chipped with a pair of base-knocks each to pace a 16-hit attack by the hosts.

Sophomore Tyler Adams (W. Barnstable, MA) was the lone multi-hitter for Westfield State as he went 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Junior Jeremy Tanguay (Huntington, MA) had two runs driven in for the visitors who tallied eight safeties for the game.

The Owls opened the contests scoring in the top of the first when Adams scampered home on a bad throw by the shortstop after he botched a play in the field.

Worcester State responded in the top of bottom of the third when Duplessis and Ruggiero both manufactured runs with singles to help give the Lancers the 2-1 advantage.

The Blue and Gold tacked on four more runs in the very next inning to put their margin to 6-1. Bolio and Ryan both drove in runners before two more tallies crossed the plate on a misplayed ball by the left fielder.

After both teams traded unearned runs over the next stanza of play, the Lancers took over the commanding 11-2 edge with four scores in the bottom of the sixth. Freshman Adam Barry (Auburn, MA/Holy Name) and Duplessis highlighted the outburst when they each recorded two-RBI singles.

Westfield State though got to junior Ben Libuda (Auburn, MA) on the hill when they strung together three consecutive singles to load the bases. Tanguay delivered a two-run double and sophomore Dan McCormack (Shelton, CT) added a run producing ground out to help the visitor's trail 11-5.

Worcester State though put the game away in the bottom of the eighth when five runs came around to score. Bolio underscored frame with a three-run blast to the deep part of center field for his third dinger of the campaign to tie for the lead in the MASCAC.

Libuda (5-2) gave up five runs (three earned) on eight hits to go along with four strikeouts and one walk over seven strong innings. After giving up the opening run in the top of the first, he settled down and retired 13 of his next 14 batters until he was touched up for another score in the top of the sixth.

Junior Joe Perlak (Chicopee, MA) tossed two hitless frames and he punched out a pair of batters to help preserve the victory for the Lancers.

Third-year Mike Molta (Nantucket, MA) was saddled with the loss for the Owls. Molta (3-3) allowed 10 hits, 11 runs (seven earned) in his six frames of work. He also rung up a trio of batters on strikes and gave up three walks.

Courtesy of Salem State Sports Information

Salem State 4, Framingham State 3

In the second quarterfinal at Salem, Ryan Hyjek (Tolland, Conn.) pitched a complete game to help Salem State hold off Framingham State, 4-3 in extra innings in the quarterfinals. The Vikings scored on a passed ball in the bottom of the 10th inning to move on to the winner's bracket tomorrow afternoon.

Hyjek (7-2) went the distance, striking out nine while walking just one, putting Salem State in position to repeat as MASCAC Tournament baseball champions.

The Vikings opened the scoring in the first when Ethan Trowt (Beverly, Mass.) led-off with a double into the left field corner. Kyle McElroy (Newburyport, Mass.) plated Trowt with a single up the middle, and Salem State led 1-0.

The Vikings added to their lead in the bottom of the second, Mike Davis (Peabody, Mass.) doubled deep to left centerfield, and took third on a bobble by the centerfielder. Trowt knocked in Davis with a base hit for the Vikings' second run. Three hits in the third off Rams' starter Mike Andrews (Stoneham, Mass.) added to Salem State' lead. Matt Burgess (Kingston, Mass.) and Mike Lamothe (Beverly, Mass.) hit back-to-back singles.

With two outs, Alex Toomey (Beverly, Mass.) came through with a single up the middle to score Burgess to increase the Vikings' advantage to 3-0. Meanwhile, Hyjek crusied through Framingham State's lineup. After giving up a lead-off single to Matt Roberge (Lowell, Mass) in the first, Hyjek did not allow a base-runner until Mark Mainini (Hull, Mass.) doubled in the fourth.

Framingham State's chance came in the eighth, as the Rams rallied to tie the game. Pinch-hitter Jake Wardell (Hudson, Mass.) drew a one-out walk, and Iafolla followed with a booming double to center to put runners on second and third. A hit batter loaded the bases, and Roberge tied the game with a base-hit up the middle which scored two. However, Framingham State stranded both runners as Hyjek retired the next two batters.

Brett Cahill (Gloucester, Mass.) put Salem State in position to win in the bottom of the ninth with a lead-off double into the right field corner. Andrews then intentionally walked Richard Fecteau (Newbury, Mass.) to put runners on first and second. However, Andrews pitched out of the jam as Salem State squandered the chance to win, failing on a sacrifice bunt attempt, and then hitting into an inning-ending double play, keeping the game tied at 3-3.

The Vikings finally broke through in in the 10th. Ryan Beliveau (Lynn, MA) opened up the inning with a double to the fence in left. Toomey then bunted right back to the pitcher, but Andrews' throw to third was late as both runners were safe. With Davis at the plate, an attempted swing produced a passed ball as Beliveau came home with the winning run, securing a 4-3 win for Salem State.

Andrews (7-1) was effective, scattering 11 hits, and yielding just three earned runs with two strikeouts in nine innings, but it was not enough to prevent him from earning his first loss of the year. Iafolla had a big day at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a double, home run and two runs scored for the Rams, who are seeking their first MASCAC baseball championship.

Trowt and Cahill each went 2-for-5 with a double and RBI for Salem State, which is trying for its third conference post-season crown.