Baseball Falls to Johnson & Wales, 11-2

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State University baseball team dropped an 11-2 decision to visiting Johnson & Wales University on Friday afternoon at Alumni Park.

The Wildcats improve to 18-16 on the season, while the host Bears fall to 10-19.

Senior lefthander Lane Compton (Freeland, Mich.) pitched six strong innings to record his fourth win of the season for the visitors. Compton (4-4) allowed just one unearned run on five hits with no walks and three strikeouts. He also hit a batter.

The Wildcats banged out 18 hits in the contest, led by a 4-for-4 performance at the plate by freshman Colby Greenhalgh (Plainfield, Conn.). Greenhalgh scored a run and drove in one.

The Bears took an early 1-0 lead with an unearned run in the bottom of the first. Junior Matt Cassese (Taunton, Mass.) reached on an error with one out and moved to second when senior Ryan Feeney (East Bridgewater, Mass.) was hit by a pitch. Two batters later, junior Alex Carey (East Bridgewater, Mass.) lined a base hit into center field scoring Cassese from second.

That lead was short-lived as the Wildcats sent 13 batters to the plate and exploded for eight runs in the top of the second inning. A pair of two-run doubles by senior Ivan Reyes (Cranston, R.I.) and sophomore Armani Henderson (Johnston, R.I.) were the big hits in the frame.

JWU tacked on a run in the top of the third. Freshman Joe Maracic (Syosset, N.Y.) singled, moved to second on a base it by Greenhalgh, to third on a wild pitch and scored on an RBI ground out by junior Rob Ballinger (South Kingstown, R.I.).

The Wildcats extended their lead to 11-1 in the top of the fourth on sacrifice fly by Greenhalgh and an RBI single off the bat of Ballinger.

Neither team would score again until the ninth inning.

A pair of doubles by BSU junior Tyler Morini (Plymouth, Mass.) and freshman Zack Churchey (West Wareham, Mass.) rounded out the scoring.

Sophomore Kevin Bresciani (Hopedale, Mass.) tossed five scoreless innings of relief in the setback for the Bears. Bresciani scattered eight hits, did not issue a walk and fanned three.

Freshman Alex McGrath (Bridgewater, Mass.) was tagged with the loss on the mound. McGrath (1-1) got the start but was unable to get out of the second inning.

Churchey paced the BSU offense as he was a perfect 3-for-3 off the bench with an RBI. Carey was the only other Bear with multiple hits as he went 2-for-4 with an RBI.

Henderson (2-for-3), Maracic (2-for-4) and senior Lou Umberto (Cranston, R.I.) also finished with multiple hits for the Wildcats. Henderson scored two runs and drove in two, while Maracic touched home twice and knocked in a run. Umberto singled twice in five at bats.

Both teams are back in action on Saturday afternoon with conference doubleheaders. The Bears travel to Framingham State University for a one o'clock MASCAC twinbill with the Rams. Bridgewater has to sweep the two games to earn a spot in next week's MASCAC Tournament. The Wildcats host Suffolk University in a GNAC doubleheader starting at noon.