Baseball Salvages Split With Salem State
Salem, Mass. - The Salem State Vikings and Framingham State University Rams split a doubleheader in Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) action on Tuesday afternoon. Salem State topped Framingham State 2-1 in the opening game before the Rams took game two, 1-0.
Salem State (16-16, 8-4) clinched a conference playoff spot with the win while Framingham State (15-17, 5-7) will need some help to earn the fourth and final bid.
In game one action Framingham State jumped on top in the third, scratching across a run to take a 1-0 lead. Following a walk and single, Matt Roberge (Lowell, MA) hit a come-backer up the middle that was stopped in the infield, but an errant throw scored Chris Blydell (Lynn, MA) from second.
Salem State scored both of its runs in the fourth to take the lead. Ryan Kane (Nahant, MA) led-off the inning with a single. An error put runners on first and second for Mike Lamouthe (Beverly, MA) who scored Kane with a base-hit to right field. Steve Butkus (Reading, MA) then knocked in the second run with a sacrifice fly to give the Vikings a 2-1 lead.
The Rams threatened in the fifth, chasing starter Matt Kerr (East Freetown, MA) from the game with two outs in the inning. Kerr walked the bases loaded and was relieved by Cory Collins (Winthrop, MA), who came in and retired Joe Sheehan (Burlington, MA) who was called out on strikes for leaning into the pitch.
Kerr notched the win after lasting four and two thirds innings while giving up five hits and six walks with five strikeouts.
Collins, who earned the save, went two and one third innings allowing just one hit and ended the game after getting Roberge to line into a 5-3 double play.
Framingham State's Joe Sheehan (Burlington, MA) finished 2-for-3 with a double. Kevin Salines (Melrose, MA) had three hits, including a double for the Vikings.
Matt Magazine (Marlborough, MA) went the distance for the Rams in the loss, allowing eight hits and two runs, one earned, with two strikeouts.
In game two, both teams received excellent pitching performances as both pitchers threw complete games. However, the Rams Matt DiCato (Winthrop, MA) outdueled Salem State starter Mario Padovani (Lynnfield, MA) to earn a 1-0 victory.
DiCato went the distance in the shutout, allowing just three hits with five strikeouts to improve to 5-1 on the year.
Framingham State scored the only run of the game in the top of the third. Following a walk and a single by Blydell, senior Corey Ketterer (Plymouth, MA) knocked in Tony Iafolla (Medfield, MA), who had walked for a 1-0 Framingham State lead.
The Vikings managed only one hit through the first six innings, a Matt Burgess (Kingston, MA) single in the second inning, before staging a rally in the bottom of the seventh. Kane and Kyle McElroy (Newburyport, MA) each singled to put runners on first and second. Butkus walked to load the bases with two outs. However, Dicato induced a groundball to the shortstop to end the threat as the Rams held on for the 1-0 victory.
Padovanni finished day for Salem State giving up just one earned run on four hits and two strikeouts.
The Vikings host Bridgewater State in their regular season finale on Saturday at noon, while Framingham State takes on Rhode Island College in a single game on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m.
Release courtesy of SSU Sports Information.