Baseball Walks Off with Game Two Victory in Split with Westfield State

Northborough, Mass. – Junior Jordan Pallazola (Rockport, Mass.) belted three homeruns on the day including a walk-off shot to left in the ninth inning of game two as the Framingham State University baseball team split a pair of games this afternoon with Westfield State in Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) action at the New England Baseball Complex.

The Rams rallied from a 4-0 deficit taking game two 5-4 in nine innings, while the Owls took the opener 8-4.

With the split, the Rams are now 9-11 on the year and 2-2 in the MASCAC, while the Owls move to 11-10-1 overall and 2-2 in the league.

The Owls jumped out to a 4-0 lead in game two after scoring four runs in the top of the third.  Junior Colin Dunn (Westfield, Mass.) singled in a pair of runs and senior Alex Lafayette (Ludlow, Mass.) delivered a two run homer to left.

The Rams got three runs back in the bottom of the inning cutting the lead to 4-3. Pallazola hit a solo home run to left and junior Matt Fogarty (Millis, Mass.) plated a pair of runs with a double.

After allowing four runs in the third, Rams starter Mike Andrews (Stoneham, Mass.) settled in and allowed just two hits, one in the fourth and one in the fifth, for the rest of the game.  Andrews retired the Owls in order in the sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth innings allowing the offense to tie and eventually win the game in extra frames.

The Rams tied the game on a solo home run to center by Fogarty in the bottom of the fifth and Pallazola secured the victory with a leadoff solo homer to left in the bottom of the ninth.

Andrews improved his season record to 2-2 going nine innings and allowing four runs, all unearned, on seven hits with five strikeouts and two walks.

Freshman Vincenzo Camera (East Haven, Conn.) started for the Owls and did not factor in the decision going five innings and allowing four runs, all earned, on six hits with four strikeouts.  Junior Scott Strachan (Braintree, Mass.) took the loss going two innings in relief and allowing one run on one hit.

The Owls got on the board in the opener in the top of the first on a sacrifice fly to center by junior Anthony Crowley (Bellingham, Mass.), but the Rams tied the game in the bottom of the frame.  Senior Cameron Borrelli (Peabody, Mass.) walked and moved to third on a single by junior Aaron Williams (Brockton, Mass.).  Williams stole second and the throw sailed into the outfield allowing Borrelli to score from third.

The Owls took the lead for good in the top of the second.  Senior John Lippincott (Barkhamsted, Conn.) hit a solo homer to center and junior Tyler Beach (Quincy, Mass.) delivered a two out RBI double.  Dunn added an RBI single for the 4-1 lead.

The Owls added two apiece in the top of the third and fourth to extend their lead to 8-1.  The Rams added two in the bottom of the sixth on a two run home run off the bat of Pallazola that scored Williams and one in the seventh on a sacrifice fly by graduate student Matt Brockett (Guilford, Conn.) to reach the final score.

Junior John Gegetskas (Windsor, Conn.) earned the game one win for the Owls going seven innings and allowing four runs, three earned, on six hits with four strikeouts.  Senior Chris Riga (Westfield, Mass.) took the loss for the Rams going two and a third and allowing six earned runs on seven hits.  Junior Kyle Hodgson (Berkley, Mass.) tossed four and two thirds innings of relief allowing two runs, one earned, on six hits with five strikeouts.

The Rams are back in action on Wednesday when they travel to Fisher for a non-conference game beginning at 7 p.m., while the Owls host Western New England on Sunday at 1 p.m.