Baseball Sweeps NJCU 3-2 and 6-5
Winter Haven, Fla. – The Framingham State University baseball team swept a doubleheader this afternoon against New Jersey City University at the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational. The Rams defeated the Gothic Knights 3-2 in the opener and 6-5 in the nightcap.
In game one, the Gothic Knights took a 1-0 lead in the second inning with an unearned run. Freshman Michael Martucci reached on an error and came around to score on a sacrifice fly by classmate Alex Weinstein.
The Rams took the lead for good in the fourth inning with a pair of runs. Junior Justin Forman (Watertown, Mass.) doubled and scored on an RBI single from sophomore Ivan Colon (Waltham, Mass.) and freshman Matt Gerard (Milford, Mass.) singled and scored when freshman John Gill (Hudson, Mass.) worked a bases loaded walk.
The Rams added an insurance run in the sixth when Gerard walked, advance to second on a wild pitch and came around to score on a pass ball.
NJCU added a single run in the seventh to reach the final margin of 3-2 on an RBI fielder's choice by Martucci.
Sophomore Matt DiCato (Winthrop, Mass.) picked up the win tossing a complete game. DiCato scattered four hits over seven innings allowing two runs, one earned, with a walk and seven strikeouts.
Colon finished the first game 3-for-4 with an RBI, while Forman was 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored. Gerard finished the game 2-for-2 with two runs scores.
In game two, the Rams grabbed a quick 2-0 lead with a pair of runs in the second inning on an RBI fielder's choice by junior Paul Everett (Franklin, Mass.) and an NJCU error.
Framingham extended their lead to 5-0 with three runs in the 4th on a two RBI double by freshman Cam Couillard (North Andover, Mass.) and an RBI single by Colon.
The Gothic Knights plated four runs in the bottom of the fourth to cut the Rams lead to 5-4, but a single run for the Rams in the top of the sixth on an RBI single from Will Crofton (Hopkinton, Mass.) sealed the game for the Rams.
Senior Rob McLaughlin (Plymouth, Mass.) picked up his first victory of the season going 5.1 innings allowing five earned runs on eight hits with a walk and a pair of strike outs. Classmate Ryan Stoller (Milton, Mass.) worked two thirds of an inning of scoreless relief before giving way to Patrick Murray (Framingham, Mass.) who earned the save.
Blydell finished game two 3-for-4 at the plate, while Couillard went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBI.
The Rams close their spring trip with a pair of games against Daniel Webster College tomorrow afternoon with the first game slated to begin at 1 p.m.