Baseball Powers Past Fitchburg State
Framingham, Mass. – Senior outfielder Chris Blydell (Lynn, Mass.) went 6-for-8 at the plate with four doubles to lead the Framingham State University baseball team to a sweep of Fitchburg State University this afternoon in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) doubleheader this afternoon at Bowditch Field.
With the wins, the Rams improve to 21-12 on the year and 8-2 in the MASCAC, while the Falcons fall to 8-24 overall and 2-8 in the conference. The Rams have won at least 20 games in two of the last three seasons and are currently in sole possession of second place in the MASCAC standings.
The Falcons took the early lead in the opener with a run in their first at bat. Sophomore Patrick McMahon (S. Windsor, Conn.) walked and then scored on an RBI single through the left side off the bat off junior Cody Bamforth (Vernon, Conn.).
The Rams got the run back in the bottom of the inning as Blydell legged out an infield single to lead off and was sacrificed to second. After an out, senior Pedro Acevedo (Fall River, Mass.) ripped a single to center scoring Blydell and tying the game at 1-1.
A fence scraping RBI double to center by Blydell and a two RBI single up the middle from freshman Cam Couillard (North Andover, Mass.) put the Rams on top in the second. Acevedo drove in his second run of the game with a single to left pushing the lead to 5-1.
Fitchburg State came back with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth inning. Junior Mike Szajner (Leominster, Mass.) reached on an error and scored on an RBI single from junior A.J. Silberman (Meriden, Conn.). Silberman then came around to score on an infield hit by McMahon cutting the Rams lead to 5-3.
Framingham State added a single run in the fifth on an RBI single from freshman Mark Mainini (Hull, Mass.) and the Falcons added an unearned run on an RBI groundout by junior Randy Ortiz (Danielson, Conn.) making the score 6-4.
Sophomore Matt DiCato (Winthrop, Mass.) picked up the victory improving his season record to 5-2 as he went six innings allowing four runs, two earned, on eight hits with a walk and five strikeouts. Classmate Brendan Busa (Framingham, Mass.) worked a scoreless seventh to record his second save of the season.
Blydell was 3-of-4 at the plate in the opener with two doubles, two runs scored and an RBI, while Acevedo added a pair of hits and a pair of RBI. Couillard also drove in a pair as he was 1-for-3 at the plate, while Mainini drove in two with two hits.
Junior Tynan Flegg (Calgary, AB) picked up the loss for the Falcons going 4.1 innings and allowing six runs, all earned, on 13 hits with no walks and five strikeouts. Classmate Zachary Bombria (Bolton, Conn.) worked 1.2 innings of scoreless relief. McMahon and junior Matt Zajac (New Hartford, Conn.) led the Falcons at the plate with two hits apiece.
The Rams jumped out to an early lead in game two with four runs in the first. Junior Will Crofton (Hopkinton, Mass.) drove in a pair of runs with a double to deep center and junior Justin Forman (Watertown, Mass.) and senior Chris Cole (Lynn, Mass.) each drove in one apiece with RBI singles.
The Falcons got one back in the top of the second when Zajac doubled to center and then came around to score on an RBI single by Szajner.
Blydell doubled to lead off the bottom of the second for the Rams and scored on an RBI single by Couillard expanding the differential back to four. The Rams loaded the bases and sophomore Tony Iafolla (Medfield, Mass.) was hit by a pitch forcing home the second run of the inning. Cole followed with a two run single to center driving the Falcon starting pitcher from the game and Mainini followed with a two run double expanding the Rams lead to 10-1 after two.
The Rams added runs in the third and fourth on RBI hits from Acevedo, Blydell and Couillard and a solo homerun from Acevedo in the fifth to extend their lead. Blydell drove in the Rams last run in the sixth with his second double of the game and fourth on the day.
Senior Ryan Stoller (Milton, Mass.) picked up the victory tossing a complete game. Stoller surrendered one earned run on ten hits with a walk and three strikeouts.
Blydell finished the game 3-of-4 with two runs scored and two RBI, while Crofton also went 3-of-4 with two RBI and three runs scored. Acevedo picked up a pair of hits and drove in a pair, while Cole went 3-for-3 with three RBI and two runs scored. Mainini also chipped in three hits and a pair of RBI in game two.
Junior Pat Mercier (Townsend, Mass.) was tagged with the loss for the Falcons going 1.2 innings and allowing 10 runs, nine earned, on seven hits with three walks and two strikeouts. Bombria came on in relief and closed the game allowing five runs, all earned, on nine hits.
Junior Jeff Boice (Glastonbury, Conn.) and Zajac led the Falcons at the plate in game two with two hits apiece.
The Rams return to action on Tuesday afternoon with a pair of games against Salem State at 2:30 p.m., while the Falcons travel to Worcester State on Tuesday at 2 p.m.