Baseball Spilts MASCAC Doubleheader with Worcester State

Game One Box Score | Game Two Box Score

Bridgewater, Mass. -- On the last weekend of MASCAC play, Bridgewater State earned a hard-fought split with Worcester State as the Bears posted a 10-4 victory in the first game while the Lancers wrapped things up with a 6-2 win in the nightcap.

BSC's game one victory clinched the second need for next week's MASCAC Tournament as the Bears edged out MCLA by a game in the conference standings. Bridgewater (21-14) completed the MASCAC schedule with a 10-4 conference record, while MCLA finished up 9-5 in MASCAC play. The Trailblazers swept Salem State earlier this afternoon.

WSC captured their fifth regular season MASCAC regular season title this past Monday with a sweep of Framingham State to earn the top-seed in the tournament.  The Lancers (25-11) end the regular season with their best ever mark in conference play at 13-1.

Both teams will enjoy first round home games in the conference tournament which starts on Thursday. Worcester State will entertain #4 Westfield State at 4 PM at Holy Cross, while Bridgewater State hosts the third-seeded Trailblazers at 3.

With the Lancers ahead 3-2 entering the bottom of the sixth inning in the first contest, the Bears took advantage of three Blue and Gold miscues to take the lead and break the game open by the end of the frame.

Senior Brad Koneski (N. Dighton, MA-2B) led off the sixth with a double and then after junior Mark Claffey (Bellingham, MA-3B) reached on a misplayed bunt by the pitcher, senior Kelly LaDow (E. Falmouth, MA-C) drove in Koneski to knot the score as his at-bat produced an error in the infield. Junior Matt Greenburg (Norwell, MA-DH) notched a sacrifice fly to give the Bears the 4-3 lead.

The rest of the scoring in the inning was highlighted by a two-run double by senior J.T. Mooney (N. Attleboro, MA-CF) and two more runs came around to score on a ball that was thrown away by the pitcher on the mound.

Bridgewater State opened the games scoring in the bottom of the second as Koneski and Claffey each strung together back-to-back RBI singles as the Bears took a 2-0 advantage off of another miscue in the infield.

Junior Nick Caparell (N. Attleboro, MA-RF) helped Worcester State answer as he tied the game up 2-2 when he laced a two-run single into centerfield in the top of the third.

The Lancers then took the lead in the top of the fifth when senior Matt Hart (N. Easton, MA-CF) came home on an error in the infield. Hart had reached on a bunt single to the pitcher and then moved into scoring position after he stole second and reached third on a wild pitch.

Down 10-3 in the top of the seventh, Worcester State tried to rally as sophomore Shane Coakley (Spencer, MA-DH) plated Hart with two outs, but reliever Brian Guillotte (New Bedford, MA) preserved the victory for the Bears as he induced a fly-out to end the contest.

Junior Sean O'Neill (Norwood, MA) earned the win on the mound for the Bears as he tossed six innings allowing three runs on four hits. O'Neill also fanned four and walked three batters.

Third-year Joey Lucier (Brockton, MA) dropped to 2-3 on the season as he allowed seven runs (one earned) on five hits while he also struck out three and walked two.

Hart went 2-for-3 with three trips to home plate while Claffey and junior Brian Medairos (Brockton, MA) each tallied two hits and they each scored a run. Claffey also drove in three runners.

In the second contest, Worcester State scored first in the top of the second as Coakley led off the frame with a double, moved to third on a sac bunt and then scored on a sacrifice fly by junior Nick Dortona (Malden, MA-SS).

Bridgewater eventually tied the game up 1-1 in the top of the fourth on an RBI single by Mooney.

The Lancers responded with a crooked number in the top of the fifth as freshman Jake Sanderski (Millbury, MA-LF) gave WSC the 2-1 lead with a run-producing single before Caparell and Coakley each added a sacrifice fly and an RBI triple in back-to-back at-bats for some insurance.

Medairos jacked a lead-off homer in the top of the fifth to cut the lead in half, but the WSC starter Mike Borowiec (Spencer, MA) and the Lancer bullpen retired nine of the last 12 batters to preserve the lead.

Caparell also helped give the Lancers a cushion as he belted a two-run double to give Worcester State a 6-2 advantage.

Borowiec improved to 4-1 and 3-0 against MASCAC opponents. Borowiec threw 5 2/3 innings allowing two runs off seven hits while he walked three and struck out two. Junior Kevin Hayes (Medford, MA) and senior closer Pat Good (Hull, MA) pitched 1 1/3 innings of perfect relief for WSC.

Senior Tim Bonham's (Marshfield, MA) record evens out to 3-3 while he allowed four runs off seven hits in 4 2/3 innings of work.

Sanderski ended the nightcap going 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI while Coakley and Dortona each recorded two hits and an RBI. LaDow went 2-for-4 with a run scored for the Bears.

Worcester State will travel to Colby-Sawyer for a 1 PM contest while Bridgewater State will close out its regular season tomorrow with a double-header against Becker starting at noon.