Baseball Takes Opener and Splits Two with Worcester State
Framingham, Mass. – The Framingham State University baseball team plated two runs in their first at bat of the day as they took game one of a doubleheader 4-3 over the Worcester State University Lancers in Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) action this afternoon at Bowditch Field. The Lancers came from behind to take game two by a score of 4-2 and salvage a split.
After the split both teams are now an identical 3-3 in the MASCAC with the Rams improving to 9-16 overall and the Lancers moving to 11-13.
The Rams plated two in the bottom of the first to take the early lead. Senior Will Crofton (Hopkinton, Mass.) doubled to drive in sophomore Cameron Couillard (North Andover, Mass.) who had singled to lead off the inning and sophomore Mark Mainini (Hull, Mass.) singled to drive in Crofton.
Back-to-back singles to right to start the inning fourth inning by Kurt Sabacinski (Worcester, Mass.) and Rob MacDonald (Waltham, Mass.) got the Worcester offense going. A sacrifice bunt moved the runners to second and third and a Brandon Hoyle (Bridgewater, Mass.) grounder to deep short drove in the Sabacinski with Lancers first run of the day. Worcester had runners on the corners with one out in the inning, but Mainini ranged a long way into foul territory and made an acrobatic catch. Mainini fired the ball home to get MacDonald at the plate as he tried to tag on the play keeping the score 2-1 in favor of the Rams.
Framingham State tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI single by Couillard that drove in junior Ivan Colon (Waltham, Mass.), who walked to lead off the inning.
The Lancers answered with a run in the top of the sixth as sophomore Zach George (Attleboro, Mass.) doubled to left off the third base bag and scored on an RBI single by MacDonald.
Mainini led off the bottom of the sixth inning with a walk and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Matt Roberge (Lowell, Mass.). Junior Billy Desroiser (Shrewsbury, Mass.) drove Mainini home with a single down the right field line to make the score 4-2 in favor of the Rams.
The run proved to be huge as the Lancers added a run in the top of the seventh on an RBI double by pinch hitter Jeff Bolio (Oxford, Mass.) to reach the final score of 4-3.
Junior Matt DiCato (Winthrop, Mass.) picked up the victory in the opener for the Rams as he went the distance allowing three earned runs on nine hits with two strikeouts and a walk.
Senior Nick Bonofiglio (Worcester, Mass.) was tagged with the loss for the Lancers as he also went the distance and gave up four earned runs on seven hits with a strikeout and a pair of walks.
Couillard and sophomore Matt Gerard (Milford, Mass.) picked up two hits apiece in the opener for the Rams, while MacDonald was the lone Lancer with multiple hits.
The Rams started game two with an unearned run in the bottom of the first as freshman Ryan Wardwell (Hudson, Mass.) drew a walk with the bases loaded.
Worcester State tied the game in the top of the fourth as they had runners on first and second after a pair of walks. Dan Ubele (Tyngsboro, Mass.) singled to center driving in MacDonald with the game tying run.
The Lancers took their first lead of the day, 2-1, in the fifth inning. Steve Wallace (Auburn, Mass.) doubled to lead off the inning and scored on a sacrifice fly to deep center by Sabacinski.
Worcester State tacked on a pair of insurance runs in the sixth extending their lead to 4-1. Ubele plated a run with an RBI base hit and David Ruggiero (Peabody, Mass.) scampered home from third when Ubele was caught trying to steal second.
Senior Alex Teal (Malden, Mass.) pitched a gem for the Lancers in game two holding the Rams to just one hit in the game, a Forman double in the first inning, until their final at bat of the day. In the seventh inning, freshman Jake Wardwell (Hudson, Mass.) singled with one out, but was erased at second on a fielder's choice. Forman followed with his second double of the game driving in a run to pull the Rams back within two, but that was as close as they would get as Teal was able to record the final out.
Sophomore Ryan Bowen (Hudson, Mass.) took the loss for the Rams going seven innings and allowing four earned runs on seven hits with four strikeouts and two walks, while Teal recorded the victory in a complete game effort. Teal allowed just two runs, one earned, on three hits with three strikeouts and five walks.
Forman went 2-for-4 for the Rams in game two with a pair of doubles, while Ryan Wardwell drew three walks.
George, Ruggiero and Ubele all picked up two hits for the Lancers in game two with Ubele driving in a pair.
The two teams are right back at it on Monday with another MASCAC doubleheader. The Rams travel to Fitchburg State at 12 p.m., while the Lancers travel to Bridgewater State for 12 p.m. first pitch.