Baseball Splits MASCAC Twinbill with Salem State

SALEM, Mass. – The visiting Bridgewater State University baseball team split a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) doubleheader with Salem State University on Thursday afternoon at Salem's Central Campus Baseball Field. The Bears won the first game in ten innings, 5-3, while the host Vikings earned the split with a 4-1 victory in the nightcap.

The Vikings see their record go to 3-2 on the season and 2-2 in the MASCAC, while the Bears stand at 5-10 overall and 2-4 in conference play.

Game One

Jay Wladkowski's  (Norwood, Mass.) two-out, two-run double in the top of the tenth propelled Bridgewater State to the 5-3 extra-innings win over the Vikings in game one of the twinbill. With the score knotted at 3-3, Luke Tamulevich (Whitman, Mass.) walked and Cam James (Ipswich, Mass.) followed with a base hit to lead off the inning before Wladkowski laced a double into centerfield to score the go-ahead runs.

Matt Josselyn (Hanson, Mass.) pitched five innings in relief of starter David Kerns (East Cambridge, Mass.) to earn the win on the mound for the Bears. Josselyn (2-3) gave up one run on four hits with a pair of walks and three strikeouts. Kerns worked the first five innings and allowed two unearned runs on three hits with three walks and three strikeouts.

Jake Boucher (Cheshire, Conn.) generated the first run of the game for the Vikings, reaching on a fielder's choice in the second inning. Following a stolen base and groundout, Boucher scored on a passed ball to make the score 1-0.

The Bears answered in the third when Kevin Lindsay (East Bridgewater, Mass.) led off the inning with a walk and a perfectly placed bunt single by Tamulevich put runners on first and second. A groundout advanced both runners before Joey Molis (Cumberland, R.I.) plated two when he reached on a throwing error by the third baseman giving Bridgewater State a 2-1 lead.

The Bears threatened in the fifth after a one-out walk to James. A wild pitch moved James to second. Molis then lined a single to left, but leftfielder Jack Sefrino (Dartmouth, Mass.) threw out the runner at the plate to end the inning.

Salem State's Christian Burt (Lynn, Mass.) opened the bottom of the fifth with a bunt single. A stolen base and throwing error followed by an error on a failed pick-off attempt tied the game at 2-2. Two walks and a single loaded the bases with one out, but Kerns retired the next two batters to avoid any further damage.

Mathew Pigeon (Canton, Mass.) put the Bears back on top in the sixth with a two-out triple to right center, scoring Patrick Cashin (Franklin, Mass.) from second base. Cashin singled with two outs in the inning to start the rally and moved to second on a passed ball.

The Vikings rallied in the seventh, tying the game on a one-out double to right by Tim Catalano (Brewster, N.Y.) off the reliever Josselyn, scoring EJ Field (Gloucester, Mass.) from third, who drew a leadoff walk.

Salem State wasted a leadoff double by Traverse Briana (Lynn, Mass.) in the eighth, as Josselyn held the Vikings in check with two strikeouts and a pop-up to third. 

Brock Pare (Lowell, Mass.) took the loss in relief for the Vikings. Pare (0-1) allowed two runs on two hits, with four strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings of relief.

Jimmy Burton (Rutland, Mass.) got the start on the hill for Salem State giving up two unearned runs on four hits over five innings with four walks and five strikeouts.

Tamulevich reached safely three times in game one as he went 1-for-3 with a pair of walks and two runs scored.

Game Two

Game two saw Vikings' starter Nicholas Rector (Mantua, N.J.) allow just one run on one hit over five innings as Salem State came back to salvage the split with the 4-1 victory over the Bears.

Rector, who allowed only a second inning single to Wladkowski, walked four and struck out five before being replaced by Sefrino after issuing a leadoff walk to Tamulevich in the sixth.

Salem State pushed across the first run of the game in the third. Jomar Moreta (Lynn, Mass.), who was hit by a pitch, came home on a single to center by Burt after the throw to third base was misplayed.

The Vikings extended their lead with a three-run fourth, stringing together four hits, including an RBI double by Brahiam Ortega (Lawrence, Mass.) and an RBI single by Moreta.

Cashin ended the shutout bid in the sixth as he plated Tamulevich with a run scoring infield single. Bridgewater State put two on in the seventh, but Sefrino induced a line out to third for the final out.

Sefrino gave up three hits and was not charged with a run in two innings of work. He fanned four and did not issue a walk.

Burt, Boucher and Field all recorded two hits for the Vikings.

Colin Josselyn (Hanson, Mass.) gave up four runs (three earned) on seven hits over four innings in the setback. Josselyn (1-2) recorded one strikeout and did not issue a walk. Guy Quartarone (Foxborough, Mass.) tossed two scoreless innings of relief for the Bears allowing two hits and a walk with a pair of strikeouts.

Up Next: The two teams meet again on Saturday at Bridgewater State's Alumni Park with game one of the non-conference twinbill getting underway at noon.