Baseball Hands Salem State First Two MASCAC Losses of the Year
Salem, Mass. – The Framingham State University Rams swept a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) doubleheader with conference leader Salem State, defeating the Vikings 2-0, and 5-3 on Wednesday afternoon at the Central Campus Baseball Field.
The losses, the first in the MASCAC this season for the Vikings, prevented Salem State from claiming the MASCAC regular season title outright. Framingham State raised their record to 15-18 overall and 8-4 in conference, while the Vikings are now 19-13 on the year and 10-2 in the MASCAC.
The Rams threatened first in the top of the second in game one, when freshman Jake Wardwell (Hudson, Mass.) hit a single for Framingham State and then went to third base on sacrifice bunt and single. However, Salem State starter Cato Lacroix (Holliston, Mass.) worked out of the jam with a strikeout.
The game then turned into a pitcher's duel as Lacroix and Rams's starter Chris DiCecca (Winchester, Mass.) both turned in impressive performances, stifling both offenses.
Framingham State second baseman Ivan Colon (Waltham, Mass.) was also solid on defense, turning a key double play to end one scoring opportunity, and making several key stops to keep the Vikings off the bases.
The Rams finally broke through in the top of the seventh when sophomore Mark Mainini (Hull, Mass.) blooped a hit into centerfield for a double, and then scored on a sac-fly by junior Billy Desroiser (Shrewsbury, Mass.).
Framingham State added an insurance run off reliever Andrew Guido (Peabody, Mass.), who came on with the bases loaded and threw a wild pitch.
Junior Matt DiCato (Winthrop, Mass.) then pitched the seventh for the Rams and retired the side in order to earn his first save of the year.
Lacroix , who pitched six and two thirds innings, gave up four hits, one run with three strikeouts and two walks. Framingham State's DiCecca went six innings scattering four hits and two walks with one strikeout to up his record to 2-1.
In game two, the Rams jumped on Vikings pitcher Mike Baryski (Walpole, Mass.) in the top of the first getting an early 1-0 lead on a double play groundout after loading the bases on three consecutive singles.
Wardwell then blasted an RBI single to right field to add a run to his team's lead in the second, and senior Justin Forman (Watertown, Mass.) gave Framingham State its third run in the third inning after getting a base hit and scoring on classmate Will Crofton's (Hopkinton, Mass.) base hit.
Mike Davis (Peabody, Mass.) replaced Baryski who went two and two third innings and gave up eight hits and two earned runs.
Richard Fecteau (Newbury, Mass.) hit an RBI double to bring home Salem State's Matt Burgess (Kingston, Mass.), who had singled to make it 3-1 in the 4th inning.
Framingham State countered with a run when Crofton was hit by a pitch and scored on a hit by Mainini that was lost in the sun.
Steve Buitkus (Reading, Mass.) rallied the Vikings in the fifth when he tripled home Ryan Beliveau (Lynn, Mass.), who had singled. Kevin Salines made the score 4-3 with a base hit up the middle, but starter FSU Ryan Bowen (Hudson, Mass.) prevented further damage, stranding two runners after getting the third out on a fielder's choice.
Colon walked to lead off the seventh for the Rams and after taking third on a sacrifice hit, scored an insurance run on a sacrifice fly by Forman to make the score 5-3.
Bowen pitched six innings on short rest allowing seven hits and three runs with two strikeouts to pick up his fifth victory of the year. DiCato again retired the side in the seventh to earn his second save on the day.
Davis pitched four and one third innings of relief, giving up one hit and one run with two strikeouts for the Vikings.
Salem State will play another doubleheader on their home field Saturday starting at 12 p.m. against Fitchburg State University. Framingham State will play at Curry College on Friday at 3:30 p.m.
Release courtesy of SSU Sports Information.