Baseball Eliminated from MASCAC Tournament with Loss to Westfield State

Salem, Mass. - The third seed Westfield State University Owls (19-20) jumped out to a 4-0 lead and cruised past the second seed Framingham State Rams, 9-1 in a Massachusetts State Collegiate (MASCAC) Baseball Tournament elimination game on Saturday afternoon at Salem State University's Central Campus Baseball Field. 

The victory puts the Owls into the championship round against top seed Salem State at noon tomorrow.  The Rams end the 2013 season 17-23 overall.

Kevin Greene (Worcester, Mass.) doubled home the first run of the game as Westfield State plated four in the opening frame on four hits.  Matt Ferrelli (Milford, Mass.) added an RBI double, and Tim Santilli (Southbridge, Mass.) singled home another pair of runs off Framingham State starter Chris DiCecca (Winchester, Mass.).

The Rams Matt Gerard (Milford, Mass.) blasted an RBI double in the second to make it a three run game, but Jeremy Tanguay  (Huntington, Mass.) countered with an RBI single in the third to make it 5-1 Owls.

Westfield added two more in the sixth as Tanguay advanced to third base on a bunt by Tyler Adams (West Barnstable, Mass.) and then came home on a bases loaded walk. Andrew Medeiros (New Bedford, Mass.) got his second RBI of the game on a hit to make it 7-1 Owls in the sixth.  The Rams did turn a rare triple play in the inning to avoid further damage. A routine fly out to right accounted for the first run and a 926525 putout at second and third due to bad base running by the Owls ended the inning.

Westfield State starter Justin Thompson (Yarmouth, Mass.) pitched a complete-game allowing only one run to even his record at 1-1. 

Framingham State's Thomas Simas (Cambridge, Mass.) pitched three and a third innings of relief and gave up four hits, three runs, and three walks for the Rams.  Justin Forman (Watertown, Mass.) came on in relief in the seventh for Framingham State and gave up two run and five hits. Rams starter DiCecca went only two and two thirds innings surrendering five runs on seven hits with a strikeout in the loss. 

Westfield State starter Justin Thompson (Yarmouth, Mass.) pitched a complete-game allowing only one run to even his record at 1-1. Framingham State's Thomas Simas (Cambridge, Mass.) pitched three and a third innings of relief and gave up four hits, three runs, and three walks for the Rams.  Justin Forman (Watertown, Mass.) came on in relief in the seventh for Framingham State and gave up two run and five hits. Rams starter DiCecca went only two and two thirds innings surrendering five runs on seven hits with a strikeout in the loss. 

Westfield State last won the MASCAC Tournament in 2009. Salem State is seeking its first championship since 2006.

Release courtesy of SSU Sports Information.