By Jim Fenton

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- There figured to be a heavier reliance on the bullpen by the Bridgewater State University baseball team this season.

The Bears lacked depth with their starting pitchers, and then junior Patrick Chapin (Framingham, Mass.) suffered a season-ending injury a month in after going 3-1.

So the relievers were being called upon more and more by coach Greg Zackrison.

And the top three pitchers out of the bullpen delivered in a big way, serving a key part of a team that is 30-8 and is in the NCAA Division III tournament for a fifth year in a row.

Senior Matt Kustigian (Charlton, Mass.) has put together by far the best season of his career, going 5-0 with a save and a 1.80 earned run average in 17 relief appearances.

Sophomore Chase Beach (Orleans, Mass.) is 3-0 with three saves and 38 strikeouts in 28 innings, compiling a 1.61 ERA.

Senior CJ Hess (Providence, R.I.) has a 1-1 record, three saves and a 2.76 ERA, striking out 22 in 16 1/3 innings.

Combined, Kustigian, Beach and Hess have a 1.92 ERA in 84 1/3 innings with a 9-1 record and seven saves.

Their season continues on Friday morning when the Bears (30-8) play at nationally ranked Salisbury University (32-9) of Maryland at 10 a.m. in the opening round of the NCAAs.

"They've been really big," said Zackrison, whose team left for Salisbury Wednesday morning. "Hess, Beach and Kusty have been unbelievable. They've saved us.

"We wouldn't be here (without them). There's no way we would have made it through the (MASCAC) tournament or had another 30-win season."

Kustigian had made 22 relief appearances in his first three seasons, throwing just 22 2/3 innings with a 1-1 record and 17 strikeouts.

This season, he has been dominant as often the first reliever into the game.

Kustigian has given up just eight earned runs and 28 hits in 40 innings (more than double his previous career high) with 26 strikeouts.

"I kind of switched the mentality a little bit where this is my last year of collegiate baseball and I'm going to give everything I've got," said Kustigian. "I kept my diet better and just worked hard."

Kustigian's season-high was a 4 1/3-inning stint and he allowed earned runs in only five of 17 games.

"I live for the high-pressure situations where it's a one or two-run ballgame," said Kustigian, who has pitched all 37 games for BSU in relief during his career. "You can't beat it.

"You just get ready. It's me against the hitter, one vs. one, and I'm going to take myself every time. I look forward to it. I do it for the guys behind me. I know I've got guys in the field and they're going to make plays for me."

Kustigian had never thrown more than 15 1/3 innings for the Bears, doing so in 11 games last season.

"We knew he was good, but he got unlucky at times and his ERA was inflated the last three seasons," said Zackrison. "This year, he's put it all together."

Beach pitched in 14 games as a freshman with three starts a year ago and was 2-2 with a save and 28 strikeouts in 26 1/3 innings.

This spring, Beach has relieved in three of his 13 appearances, giving up five earned runs in 28 innings.

"I don't have a preference," said Beach of being a reliever or starter. "I just like winning. Whatever it takes to win the ballgame, if that's me starting and going as long as I need or coming in for an inning or two, I like doing it all. I just like playing.

"As a reliever, it's knowing the situation. It's having confidence in yourself."

Said Zackrison, "Chase has been pitching really well.''

Hess did not play in 2023 and has one year of eligibility remaining if he elects to play in 2027.

He has been consistent in three years at BSU, giving the Bears a reliable bullpen arm since 2024.

"Hess has always been a guy who dealt with some injuries, but when he's healthy, he's fantastic,'' said Zackrison.

Hess has more than doubled his innings this season from a year go and formed a potent bullpen trio with Kustigian and Beach.

"I just like the intensity," said Hess of his role. "Going into a close game, there's nothing to describe it. You've got all the pressure on you and you're the guy to get the job done.

"I like to stay calm, cool and collected no matter win or lose. I like having all the pressure on me just to get the job done."

BSU has received other contributions in the bullpen from freshmen Logan Cormier (Athol, Mass.), Ethan Palmer (Attleboro, Mass.) and Matthew Almeida (Fall River, Mass.), the winner of the MASCAC championship game against Worcester State Saturday when he threw three scoreless innings, plus senior Blake Samuelson (Millbury, Mass.).

The trio of Kustigian, Beach and Hess has led the way, providing a strong point for a team reach for another national tournament appearance.

"I think it's very important to have guys who are able to come in for tough situations and keep their composure and get the job done," said Beach, "especially in tense situations when you inherit runners on base.

"You try to hold it down and let your hitters a chance to get more runs."

The bullpen was needed to provide help this season, and the relievers came through in a big way.

"We've been three ready arms who have been pretty elite so far this year," said Hess. "This year is the least amount of arms we've had. To have the least amount of guys and just every single time, guys go out and get the job done, it's retty impressive.

"We were kind of a little nervous going into it that we weren't going to have the pitching. But after the first half of the season, I think the arms proved their worth and we kept going the rest of the year.

"It's been electric. Every single guy, you have confidence in whoever goes out there."