Baseball Splits MASCAC Twinbill with Framingham

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. – The Framingham State University baseball team split a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) doubleheader this afternoon with Bridgewater State University at Bowditch Field.  The Rams took the opener 1-0 behind a solid pitching performance from junior Matt DiCato (Winthrop, Mass.), while the Bears took game two by a score of 6-2.

With the split, the Rams' record goes to 16-20 on the season and 9-5 in the MASCAC.  The Rams are in sole possession of the second spot in the MASCAC baseball standings and will have a bye in the opening round of next week's MASCAC Baseball Championship.

The Bears hold steady to 19-13-1 on the year and 8-6 in the MASCAC which places them in the three-way tie for the third spot in the standings.  Bridgewater is seeded fifth at the tournament and will travel to Worcester State University on Thursday afternoon for an opening round game with the Lancers at 3:30.

Game one was a pitcher's duel between Framingham's DiCato and Bridgewater State junior Patrick Martin (Rockland, Mass.).  DiCato recorded his second complete game shutout victory of the week as he improved his season record to 6-1.  DiCato surrendered just three hits to the Bears while walking two and striking out three.  Martin, who is now 5-2 on the season, was touched for a single unearned run in the game as he went the distance allowing just four hits with a walk and four strikeouts.

The Rams grabbed the early lead in the opener with a run in the bottom of the first and that was all DiCato would need to secure the victory.  Sophomore Cameron Couillard (North Andover, Mass.) and junior Anthony Iafolla (Medfield, Mass.) singled and an error in the Bears outfield on Iafolla's basehit gave the Rams runners on first and third.  Senior Will Crofton (Hopkinton, Mass.) followed with an RBI fielder's choice to score Couillard for the 1-0 lead.

DiCato was cruising along until the Bears threatened in the bottom of the sixth inning as senior David Pierce (East Bridgewater, Mass.) led off the inning with double to right and moved to third on a ground out.  DiCato then stranded Pierce at third when he induced a fly out from pinch hitter Nicholas White (Bellingham, Mass.).

Couillard, Iafolla, sophomore Matt Gerard (Milford, Mass.) and junior Ivan Colon (Waltham, Mass.) recorded singles for the Rams in the opener, while senior Tory Buck (Shelburne Falls, Mass.), Pierce and senior Keane Costa (Fairhaven, Mass.) accounted for the Bears three hits.

The Bears broke open a scoreless second game with a pair of runs in the top of the third.  Buck was hit by a pitch with one down and Pierce followed with a sinking line drive down the right field line that Crofton could not come up with a diving catch on that gave the Bears runners on second and third with one out.  After an out, Costa followed with a two RBI single up the middle driving in the Bears first two runs of the day.  The Bears then loaded the bases on a walk and an error, but Framingham State starting pitcher Ryan Bowen (Hudson, Mass.) induced a grounder back to the pitcher to end the inning.

The Rams answered with two in the bottom of the fourth to tie the game.  Sophomore Matt Gerard (Milford, Mass.) doubled and scored on a single by junior Billy Desroiser (Shrewsbury, Mass.).  Desroiser then stumbled home on an RBI double off the bat of freshman Jake Wardwell (Hudson, Mass.).

The Bears took the lead back in the top of the sixth on a two out, two RBI double by senior Sean Riley (Fairhaven, Mass.) that drove in Craig Stewart (Brockton, Mass.) and Sean Brooks (Braintree, Mass.), who had both singled earlier in the frame.

The Bears tacked on two more in the top of the seventh as they capitalized on a pair of fielding miscues by Rams to load the bases with no outs.  Stewart plated the first run with an RBI single through the left side and Brooks plated the second run with an RBI groundout.

Senior Jake Roderick (Provincetown, Mass.) came on in relief for the Bears in the bottom of the seventh and allowed a single to senior Justin Forman (Watertown, Mass.) but recorded a pair of strikeouts to secure the victory.

Bowen was tagged with the loss for the Rams in his third start on the hill this week. Bowen went seven innings allowing six runs, four earned, on nine hits with three walks and a strikeout.

Senior Bryan Warner (Harwich, Mass.) earned the victory on the hill for the Bears going six innings and allowing two runs, one earned, on six hits with a pair of walks and three strikeouts.

Riley went 3-for-4 for the Bears in game two with a pair of RBI, while Stewart picked up a pair of hits.  Gerard led the Rams going 2-for-3 in game two with doubles.

The Rams close the regular season on Monday afternoon with a non-conference game at Salve Regina University at 3:30 p.m., while the Bears are back in action on Thursday in the opening round of the MASCAC Baseball Championship Tournament.

Notes: The win in game two marked the 498 coaching victory for BSU skipper Rick Smith.  Smith is 498-270-5 in 20 season at Bridgewater State.