Framingham State and Worcester State have advanced to the quarterfinal round of the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference Baseball Tournament after winning their first round matchups Thursday afternoon.

#3 Worcester State 7, #6 Fitchburg State 1 Box Score

Worcester, MA --- Senior Ben Libuda (Auburn, MA) fired an eight-hitter with five strikeouts and sophomore Adam Barry (Auburn, MA/Holy Name) went 3-for-4 as they both helped pace Worcester State to a 7-1 victory over #6 Fitchburg State in the opening round of the MASCAC Baseball Tournament at the Lyons Baseball Diamond.

The Lancers (24-14) will play at second-seeded Salem State in the conference tournament quarterfinals, to start off double elimination play, at 3:30 PM tomorrow. The Falcons end their 2015 campaign at 12-19.

Worcester State started off the game with single runs over the first two frames for the 2-0 margin.

Sophomore Jake Ryan (Whitnsville, MA) scampered home on a fielding error by the second baseman in the first before senior Nick Gikas (Danvers, MA) scored on an RBI single with two men down by classmate Zach George (Attleboro, MA).

The Blue and Gold had no outs and the bases loaded in the top of the third, however, senior Ryan Magni (W. Springfield, MA) spun a ground out on a bunt at home before setting down his last two batters to keep the game right where it was.

Magni gave his squad a chance as he matched the effort on the mound for two more scoreless frames with Libuda before running into trouble in the seventh.

After sophomore Brian Bonacquisti (Pittsfield, MA) drove in classmate Mike Powers (Weymouth, MA) with an RBI double in the sixth, the Lancers put up four more tallies in the seventh to take over the 7-0 lead. The inning was highlighted by plated runs from Powers, senior Jeff Bolio (Oxford, MA) and classmate Cody Osburn (Sacramento, CA).

With 100 pitches on the counter entering the top of the ninth, Libuda gave up a single to senior Pierce Hans (Washington Township, NJ) and a run scoring double from senior pinch hitter Dalton Wheeler (Ballston Spa, NY) to break up the shutout.

Following a hit batter and another base-knock by senior Clayton Beaulieu (Chicopee, MA), Libuda turned around and saw a man on every base. But Libuda bore down on the line-up as he fanned the next two batters and completed his MASCAC-best sixth contest of the year with a ground out to second base.

Libuda (5-2) permitted the lone earned run and he issued just two free passes on the day on 125 pitches (74 strikes).

Magni (1-4) went six-plus frames allowing six runs (four earned) on 10 hits to go with one walk and two strikeouts.

Ryan and Bolio also helped pace a 12-hit attack while Hans and sophomore Mike St. John (Rehoboth, MA) both chipped in with a pair of base-hits to lead the Falcons at the dish.

With his performance at the plate, Barry now has a base-knock in eight straight games.

#4 Framingham State 5, #5 Westfield State 1 Box Score

Northboro, MA – The Framingham State University baseball team received a solid pitching performance from Zack Kirby (Rochester, Mass.) and a two run homerun from senior Billy Derosier(Shrewsbury, Mass.) as the Rams defeated Westfield State University 5-1 in an opening round game of the 2015 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) Baseball Tournament at the New England Baseball Complex this afternoon. 

With the win, the Rams improve 25-16 on the year and advance to face top seed Massachusetts Maritime Academy tomorrow afternoon in Buzzards Bay. The Rams 25 wins this season establishes a new FSU baseball single season win mark.  The Owls drop to 20-13 with the loss and are eliminated from the tournament.

In the top of the second inning Kirby established a new Framingham State career strikeout record with his 148^th career strikeout.  Kirby went the distance improving his season record to 5-2 as he allowed just one unearned run on two hits with a walk and ten strikeouts.

The Rams received all the offense they would need in the bottom of the second inning as they capitalized to score a pair of unearned runs on a two RBI double by senior Kevin Driscoll(Chelmsford, Mass.).

In the bottom of the third, the Rams tacked on another unearned run.  Derosier stole second and the throw from the catcher sailed into the outfield allowing senior Ivan Colon (Waltham, Mass.) to score from third.

Derosier capped off the Rams scoring in the game with a two out, two run homer to left in the bottom of the fifth inning. 

The Owls broke up Kirby's bit for a shutout in the top of the eighth inning. With runners on first and third, senior Pat McWilliams (Duxbury, Mass.) reached on a fielder's choice allowing Jeremy Tanguay (Huntington, Mass.) to score. 

Senior Peter Cassidy (Bluffton, SC) took the loss for the Owls going six innings and surrendering five runs, all unearned, on five this with two walks and two strikeouts.

Courtesy of Framingham and Worcester State Sports Information