Baseball Falls to Johnson & Wales, 9-4

EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Bridgewater State dropped a 9-4 decision to host Johnson and Wales University in non-conference baseball action on Wednesday afternoon at Pierce Field in East Providence.

Johnson & Wales got on the board early as senior Matt Yaeger (Glendale, Ariz.) scored on an RBI single by sophomore Pete Rosa (Ambler, Pa.) in the bottom of the first.  Bridgewater answered in the top of the second as sophomore John Garabedian's (Mansfield, Mass.) run scoring single knotted the game at 1-1. 

In the bottom of the frame, JWU broke the game open as the Wildcats scored four unearned runs, including a two-run single by Rosa to take the 5-1 lead.  JWU took advantage of a lead-off error in the frame.

The visiting Bears cut into the lead in the top of the fourth on a solo home run by senior Paul Politsopoulos (Foxboro, Mass.) making the score 5-2.

The Wildcats responded in the bottom of the fourth as they added four more runs, including a two-run single by freshman Alex Pezzuto (Hastings, N.Y.) put JWU up 9-2.  Bridgewater should have escaped the inning unscathed after the Wildcats loaded the bases with one out.  However, a tailor-made double play grounder was botched as the throw to the second base bag sailed into the outfield allowing two runs to score on the play and keeping the inning alive.

Bridgewater State chipped away at the lead as the Bears added a run in the fifth and a solo home run by junior Joshua Ferreira (Fall River, Mass.) in the top of the sixth.  That would be all the scoring for the afternoon, however as JWU took the 9-4 victory.  

JWU sophomore Zach Boyes (West Warwick, R.I.) was 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI while Rosa was 2-for-5 with four RBI in the victory.  Senior Mike Murphy (Pawtucket, R.I.) also tacked on three hits for the Wildcats.  Senior Nick Marine (Bristol, R.I.) picked up the win on the mound for JWU, allowing three runs on seven hits in five innings of work.  Junior Chris DePalma (Taunton, Mass.) pitched four innings for relief for the Wildcats to earn his third save of the season.

Sophomore David Pierce (East Bridgewater, Mass.) led the way for Bridgewater State, going 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI while Politsopoulos was 1-for-3 with a run and an RBI in the setback for the Bears.

With the win JWU is now 12-9-1 for the season while Bridgewater State falls to 9-7 on the year. The Wildcats will return to action on Thursday, April 7th when they travel to Mass.-Maritime for a non-conference contest, starting at 3:30 p.m. Bridgewater travels to Westfield State University on Saturday for a noontime MASCAC doubleheader with the Owls.