Baseball Splits Doubleheader with Northwestern

VERO BEACH, Fla. -- Junior second baseman Matt Levasseur (Milton, Mass.) belted a walk-off three-run homer to help the Bridgewater State University baseball team secure a doubleheader split with the University of Northwestern (Minn.) on Tuesday at Holman Stadium in Vero Beach, Florida.

The Bears (2-4) dropped an 8-4 decision in the opener but earned the split with a dramatic 12-11 victory in game two.

Trailing 11-9 in the bottom of the seventh inning of game two, freshman designated hitter Zack Churchey (West Wareham, Mass.) started the comeback with a leadoff walk. Following a pair of outs, junior center fielder Ryan Kelleher (Danvers, Mass.) worked a walk to put runners at the corners. That set the stage for Levasseur who hit the game-winning blast well over the left field fence.

Levasseur went 4-for-5 at the plate with three runs and four RBI. The home run marked his first in a BSU uniform.

Bridgewater seemed in complete control of the game as the Bears led 9-3 through five innings of play. The Eagles, however, erased the six-run deficit with a seven-run sixth inning. Northwestern would tack on a run in the top of the seventh to set the stage for Levasseur's heroics.

Junior right fielder Billy Mitchell (Walpole, Mass.) went 3-for-4 with a triple, two runs and two RBI, while junior left fielder Alex Carey (East Bridgewater, Mass.) was 2-for-4 with a run and two RBI. Kelleher (1-for-2) singled, walked twice, scored three times and drove in a run with a sacrifice fly.

Junior pitcher Connor Birch (Bellingham, Mass.) (1-1) allowed a run on two hits with one strikeout in an inning and 2/3 of relief to pick up his first win of the season.

In the opener, Bridgewater trailed 4-1 after three innings of play but rallied for three runs in the top of the fourth.

The Bears loaded the bases with one out following back-to-back singles by Mitchell and Kelleher and a walk to Levasseur. After a sacrifice fly by senior shortstop Ryan Feeney (East Bridgewaterm, Mass.), junior first baseman Reed Pike (Bellingham, Mass.) rifled a two-run double to center field to knot the score at 4-4.

Northwestern answered with a run in the home half of the fourth and tacked on two more in the fifth and one in the sixth to come away with the 8-4 win.

Levasseur went 2-for-2 with a double, pair of walks and two runs scored.

Sophomore pitcher Greg Cavaioli (Leominister, Mass.) suffered the loss on the mound for the Bears as he worked five innings.

The Florida trip continues on Wednesday as the Bears take on Delaware Valley University at 11:00 AM.