By Jim Fenton

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State University baseball team began its quest for another Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference tournament championship with a win Thursday.

The top-seeded Bears scored nine times in the seventh inning in a 16-6 victory over fifth-seeded Westfield State University at Alumni Park. The game was halted in that inning due to the 10-run mercy rule.

BSU (28-8), which has won four straight MASCAC tourney titles, will host second-seeded Salem State University in the winner's bracket Friday at approximately 3 p.m.

The Vikings began the tourney Thursday with a 20-10 win over third-seeded Worcester State University in a game that was stopped in the seventh inning due to the 10-run rule.

Worcester State and Westfield State will play an elimination game Friday at BSU beginning at noon.

The Bears were ahead, 7-3, before the Owls climbed within 7-6 in the seventh inning. But BSU finished the game early with the nine-run seventh when it had five hits.

The Bears had 12 hits off of 10 Westfield State pitchers. BSU drew 11 walks and the Owls hit six BSU batters.

Senior Ryan Flaherty (Duxbury, Mass.) was 3-for-3 with two RBI for BSU. Flaherty has 150 RBI in his career with the Bears, second only to BSU Hall of Famer Steve Smith's 162 (2005-08).

Senior Joshua Selander (Granby, Conn.) was 2-for-3, including a home run, and drove in three runs while freshman Nick Berube (Swampscott, Mass.) was 2-for-5 with three RBI.

Westfield State was led by senior Colin Ryan (Chelmsford, Mass.), who was 2-for-4 with three RBI. Senior Sam Palmer (Medfield, Mass.) doubled and was intentionally walked twice.

Senior Trey Yesu (Monson, Mass.) was the winning pitcher and is 5-3 and 19-12 in his career. Yesu allowed six runs and seven hits in 6 2/3 innings.

Senior Matt Kustigian (Charlton, Mass.) gave up a hit in his one-third of an inning.

Losing pitcher Griffin Pollard (Mystic, Conn.), a freshman, worked the first inning and was followed by nine relievers.

The Bears took the 4-0 lead in the first when they had three hits.

Junior Rylan Secovich (Southwick, Mass.) and sophomore Cam Beltramini (Hanson, Mass.) were hit by pitches to start the inning. Beltramini was hit three times in the win.

A single to center by Flaherty scored Secovich and after a single to right by Selander, Beltramini scored on a fielder's choice ground out by junior Benjamin Sepeck (Whitman, Mass.).

Berube drove in two runs with a single to left-center field.

Westfield State came right back in the top of the second with three runs.

After Palmer was intentionally walked to load the bases with two outs, Ryan hit a three-run double down the line in left to close the game to 4-3.

BSU went up, 6-3, in the third as Sepeck and senior DJ Prampin (Worcester, Mass.) walked and advanced on a sacrifice by Selander.

A groundout by Berube scored Sepeck while sophomore Jeyden Espinal (Fall River, Mass.) singled in a run.

The Bears moved in front, 7-3, in the fourth on a two-out RBI single up the middle by Prampin to score Flaherty, who walked and went to second on a wild pitch.

The Owls scored a run in the sixth as pinch hitter Matt Linehan (Plainville, Mass.) doubled to left, went to third on a groundout and scored on a wild pitch.

Westfield State scored twice in the seventh to get within a run.

Palmer doubled to center, went to third on a single to left by Ryan and scored on a groundout. A single to left by sophomore Jeremiah Bobbi (Lebanon, Conn.) made it 7-6.

BSU scored nine times in the bottom of the seventh.

Prampin bunted for a single, sophomore Jamie Luna (Warwick, R.I.) was hit by a pitch and Berube had a bunt single to load the bases.

Two runs scored on a pair of wild pitches for a 9-6 lead. Espinal was hit by a pitch and stole second before a sacrifice fly by Secovich brought in the 10th run.

A single up the middle by Flaherty scored another run, and Selander hit a three-run homer to right, his second of the season, for a 14-6 lead.

Sepeck then walked, Prampin singled through the left side and Luna walked to load the bases.

A wild pitch scored Sepeck and after Espinal walked to load the bases again, Secovich drew a walk to finish the game.

BSU won all three times against Friday's opponent, Salem State, in the regular season by scores of 8-6, 10-0 and 5-2.

The BSU-Salem State winner moves to the championship round on Saturday at 3 p.m. The loser will play an elimination game on Saturday at noon.