Third Seeded Baseball Advances to MASCAC Quarterfinal with 8-3 Win Over MCLA
Framingham, Mass.. – The Framingham State baseball team scored five times in the sixth inning and senior Mike Andrews (Stoneham, Mass.) threw a complete game as the third seeded Rams defeated the sixth seed MCLA in the first round of the 2018 MASCAC Baseball Tournament by a score of 8-3 Thursday evening at a rainy Bowditch Field.
With the with win the Rams improve to 18-16 and advance to play second seed Mass. Maritime on Friday, May 4th at 3:00pm. MCLA sees their season close at 13-15-1
The Trailblazers got on the board in the second inning when Logan Rumbolt (North Adams, Mass.) was hit by a pitch, sacrificed to second and Joe DiMassimo (Albany, NY) singled him in. Later in the inning DiMassimo came around to score on a single by Joe Toledo (Brooklyn, NY). MCLA scored their third run of the inning on a Rams error.
The Rams cut their deficit to one run in the 4th, Kyle Pileski (Bristol, Conn.) struck out but reached on a passed ball, moved to third on a double by Jordan Pallazola (Rockport, Mass.) and they were both clubbed in on a two-run double by Kyle Dembrowski (Natick, Mass.).
The Rams took the lead for good in the fifth when Pileski tied the game with a lead off homer. Two batters later Dembrowski doubled and an Anthony Venuti (Bratintree, Mass.) RBI single gave the Rams the lead and knocked out MCLA starter Liam Nolan (Pittsfield, Mass.). FSU scored three more in the inning capped by a bases-loaded two run single off the bat of Cameron Borrelli (Peabody, Mass.).
The Rams scored their final run on an MCLA error in the 7th to push the lead to 8-3. The Trailblazer looked to be rallying in the 8th having their first to runners reach but then lined into a 6-6-3 triple play to end the threat.
Andrews earned the win for the Rams going nine innings allowing three runs, two earned with three strikeouts. Nolan takes the loss going 5.1 allowing five runs, four earned despite striking out 12.