Baseball Suffers 1-0 Loss to Worcester State in MASCAC Championship Game

Westfield, Mass. – The sixth seed Framingham State University baseball team suffered a heartbreaking 1-0 loss to fourth Worcester State today in the 2017 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) Baseball Tournament championship game at Westfield's Hagan Field.

With the loss, the Rams see their season come to a close at 20-24, while Worcester State improves to 19-20 and receives the MASCAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

The game was scoreless through seven and a half innings as Framingham State Al Wallach (Nahant, Mass.) and Worcester's Kyle Sullivan were locked in a pitcher's duel.

The Rams threatened off the bat in the game loading the bases in the top of the first inning with one out, but a double play ball ended the threat.  In the top of the second, sophomore Aaron Williams (Brockton, Mass.) singled with one out and proceeded to steal second and third, but was stranded at third when a strikeout ended the inning.

Worcester had a chance in the bottom of the third as they had a runner on third with two outs, but Wallach was able to get a fly ball to end the inning.  Worcester threatened again in the bottom of the fifth with a runner in scoring position, but a diving catch by Williams in center kept the game scoreless.

In the top of the eighth, senior Ryan Wardwell (Hudson, Mass.) walked with one out.  Senior Manny Powers (Malden, Mass.) followed with a double to left but the lead runner was thrown out at third and fly ball followed to end the inning.

The Lancers got on the board in the bottom of the frame.  A double with one out by Jake Ryan and an intentional walk put runners on first and second.  Wallach got a ground ball that was misplayed in the infield loading the bases.  Kevin Larkin followed with a single to left plating the game's only run.

The Rams a leadoff single from junior Kyle Pileski (Bristol, Conn.), but were unable to move the runner past second.

Wallach suffered the loss for the Rams allowing one run on five hits with three walks and two strikeouts.  Sullivan, who was named Tournament MVP, earned the win allowing no runs on seven hits.