Baseball Captures MASCAC Regular Season Title

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – The Bridgewater State University baseball team captured the program's 16th Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) regular season title and first since 2006, as the Bears split a doubleheader with visiting Salem State University on Saturday afternoon at Alumni Park.  Salem won the opener, 7-4, while Bridgewater earned the split with a 7-2 victory in game two.

Bridgewater wraps up the regular season with an overall record of 27-13 including a 12-2 mark in the MASCAC.  The Bears are the top seed in next week's MASCAC Tournament and will host fourth-seeded Salem in opening round play next Thursday afternoon.  The Vikings (29-10-1) end the regular season with a 9-5 conference record.

After dropping the opening game of the doubleheader, the Bears received a solid pitching effort from senior right-hander Corey Batista (Fall River, Mass.) in game two.  Batista allowed a first inning two-run homer to sophomore designated hitter Brett Cahill (Gloucester, Mass.), but then settled down to blank the Vikings over the final six innings.  Batista (6-3) scattered six hits, walked three and struck out five.

The complete game marked the eighth of the 2012 campaign for Batista and his 17th in just two seasons with the Bears.  He surpassed Tim Hart's previous BSU career mark of 16 complete games set in 2003. 

Junior first baseman Sean Riley (Fairhaven, Mass.) reached safely in seven of his eight plate appearances in the twinbill as he went 4-for-5 with three doubles and three walks. Riley, who scored five runs and drove in two on the day, eclipsed the Bears' single-season total base record as he now has 115 total bases on the season.  He broke Chad Cambra's previous mark of 111 set back in 2003.

Riley got things going for the Bears in game two as he led off the bottom of the first with a walk, moved to second on a base hit by junior second baseman Jose Polanco (Lawrence, Mass.) and came around to score on an RBI single by junior DH David Pierce (East Bridgewater, Mass.).

Bridgewater jumped ahead to stay with three unearned runs in the second as the Bears took advantage of a dropped third strike.  With two outs, junior centerfielder John Garabedian (Mansfield, Mass.) walked on four pitches. Riley then struck out but was safe at first on a passed ball.  After Polanco was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Pierce walked on four pitches to plate Garabedian with the tying run.  Senior left fielder Ian Williams (Taunton, Mass.) then hit a a high pop up behind first base that fell in for a two-run single scoring both Riley and Polanco.

The Bears added single runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings to round out the scoring.  Junior shortstop Trevor Lawson (Easton, Mass.) tripled and score on a Keane Costa (Fairhaven, Mass.) RBI ground out in the third.  Riley walked and came around to score on a wild pitch in the fourth, while Costa single and scored on Garabedian's run-scoring single in the fifth.

Polanco reached safely in all four of his plate appearances in game two as he singled twice and was hit by a pitch twice.  Pierce finished with two RBI.

Sophomore Ed Deren (Westford, Mass.) suffered the loss on the mound for Salem.  Deren (5-3) allowed five runs (two earned) on three hits in 2 2/3 innings of work.  He walked three, hit a batter and fanned two.

Sophomore First baseman Matt Burgess (Kingston, Mass.) paced the Viking offense with three hits and a stolen base, while sophomore center fielder Ethan Trowt (Beverly, Mass.) went 2-for-2 with a walk.

In the opener, Salem received six strong innings from senior starter Matt Kerr (East Freetown, Mass.) who remained unbeaten in nine decisions on the year.  Kerr (9-0) allowed four runs on seven hits with a walk and seven strikeouts.

The Vikings erased a 4-1 deficit with a four-run third inning thanks in part to a pair of Bridgewater miscues.

Junior left fielder Bill Cataldo (Reading, Mass.) went 3-for-4 at the plate with two runs and an RBI to lead the Salem 11-hit attack in game one.  Cataldo singled in a run in the third inning and later scored on a sacrifice fly. Senior second baseman Chris Cocci (Wakefield, R.I.) and sophomore right fielder Ryan Beliveau (Lynn, Mass.) added RBI base hits in the frame which began with the Vikings leadoff hitter reaching on an error and advancing from first to third on a failed pick-off attempt.

Junior third baseman Kevin Salines (Melrose, Mass.) was the only other Viking with multiple hits as he went 2-for-4 with a first inning RBI double.  He also singled and scored on Cocci's hit in the third.

Riley paced the BSU offense in the opener as he went 3-for-3 with three doubles and a walk.  He doubled to lead off the bottom of the first and scored on Pierce's RBI single.  Riley plated two runs with a double in the second and scored on Polanco's RBI single to give the Bears a 4-1 lead.  Polanco went 2-for-3 with a stolen base in game one.

Bridgewater senior right-hander Jim Balboni (Townsend, Mass.) took the loss for the Bears on the hill.  Balboni (5-4) gave up five runs (two earned) on six hits and walk in 2 2/3 innings.

Prior to the game, the Bears honored seniors Balboni, Batista and Williams who were playing in their final regular season home games.