Baseball Sweeps Salem in MASCAC Doubleheader on Jackie Robinson Day

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – The Bridgewater State University baseball team swept a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) doubleheader with visiting Salem State University on Jackie Robinson Day at Alumni Park. Bridgewater won the opener, 1-0, and completed the sweep with a 6-4 victory in game two.

The Bears improve to 17-8 on the season and 8-1 in the MASCAC, while the Vikings fall to 12-12 overall and 4-5 in conference play. The two teams met on Thursday afternoon with Salem taking the opening game of the three-game set, 2-1.

Bridgewater is 54-39 versus Salem since 1981. The Bears are also 18-10 at home against the Vikings since Alumni Park opened in 1996.

Each member of the BSU baseball team wore #42 warm-up jerseys before the game to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of Jackie Robinson's Major League Baseball debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers.

Game One: Bridgewater State 1, Salem State 0

Graduate righthander Matt Josselyn (Hanson, Mass.) tossed a complete game, six-hit shutout to lead the Bears to a 1-0 victory in game one. Josselyn (4-1) did not issue a walk and struck out six as he recorded his second straight shutout and extended his scoreless inning streak to 27 1/3 innings.

The only run of the game came across on a passed ball in the bottom of the sixth inning. With one out, sophomore right fielder Jay Wladkowski (Norwood, Mass.) singled, moved to second on a wild pitch and to third on a passed ball. Following a strikeout, Wladkowski raced home on another passed ball to give the Bears a 1-0 lead.

The Vikings had the leadoff man aboard in the top of the seventh, but Josselyn retired the next three batters including a pair of strikeouts to end the game.

Junior righthander Brock Pare (Lowell, Mass.) pitched well in the setback for Salem State. Pare (1-3) gave up just the one unearned run on three hits with no walks and nine strikeouts.

SSU senior first baseman Zach Piroh (Stratford, Conn.) was the only batter of the game to finish with multiple hits as he went 2-for-3 with a pair of singles.

Game Two: Bridgewater State 6, Salem State 4

Sophomore shortstop Kevin Lindsay (East Bridgewater, Mass.) went 2-for-3 and drove in three runs to lead the Bears to a 6-4 victory in game two and a sweep of the twinbill.

Senior righthander David Kerns (East Cambridge, Mass.) picked up his team-leading fifth win of the season on the mound for the hosts. Kerns (5-0) pitched into the seventh as he gave up four runs on six hits in 6 1/3 innings of work with three walks and a pair of strikeouts.

Junior reliever Tyler Dasilva-Medeiros (Taunton, Mass.) got the final two outs of the game to record his team-best fourth save of the 2022 campaign.

The Bears pushed across three runs in the bottom of the second inning to jump out to a 3-0 lead. Sophomore designated hitter Kyle Suraci (Clinton, Conn.) worked a one-out walk and sophomore catcher Eric Longley (Mansfield, Mass.) followed with a double to put runners on second and third. Lindsay plated Suraci with a base hit through the left side and advanced to second on a throw to the plate. Longley and Lindsay then both scored on a perfectly executed squeeze bunt by freshman second baseman Scott Emerson (Peabody, Mass.).

A two-run single off the bat of Viking senior designated hitter Tim Catalano (Brewster, N.Y.) cut the deficit to 3-2 in the top of the third.

Bridgewater State answered with three more runs in the home half of the third. Sophomore left fielder Joe Frechette (Plymouth, Mass.) was hit by a pitch and junior third baseman Joey Molis (Cumberland, R.I.) walked to open the frame. Sophomore centerfielder Shane Foley (East Bridgewater, Mass.) then reached on a sacrifice bunt when the throw to get the lead runner at third got away allowing Frechette to score. Two outs later, Lindsay smacked a clutch two-run single between third and short to make it a 6-2 game.

Freshman right fielder Bobby Jellison (Salem, Mass.) cracked a two-run double with one out in the top of the fourth to pull the Vikings to within two at 6-4. Kerns avoided any further damage by inducing a pair of fly outs.

Salem put runners on base in each of the next three innings but were unable to score. Dasilva-Medeiros came on with one on and one out in the seventh and, after hitting a batter, got the next two Vikings on a line out and fly out to secure the win.

Wladkowski also finished with multiple hits for the Bears as he went 2-for-4 with a pair of singles.

Senior righthander Juan Hurtado (Homestead, Fla.) was saddled with the loss for Salem State. Hurtado (2-2) gave up six runs on six hits over four innings with two walks and four strikeouts.

The MASCAC schedule continues for both teams on Patriots Day Monday. The Bears travel to Massachusetts Maritime Academy for a four o'clock game with the Buccaneers, while the Vikings head to Framingham State University to take on the Rams at one.