Baseball Sweeps Salem State in MASCAC Twinbill

SALEM, Mass. – The visiting Bridgewater State University baseball team swept a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at Central Campus Field. Bridgewater State won the opener, 6-2, and completed the sweep with an 8-2 victory in game.

The Bears, who swept the three-game series against the Vikings, improve to 20-7 on the season and 7-2 in the MASCAC. Salem State falls to 6-18 overall and 3-6 in conference play.

Game One: Bridgewater State 6, Salem State 2

BSU righthander Matt Josselyn (Hanson, Mass.) went the distance on the mound to lead Bridgewater State to the 6-2 victory in game one of the twinbill. Josselyn (5-2) allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits with a walk and nine strikeouts to pick up his team-leading fifth win of the season and 18th of his career.

A two-run single by Cam James (Ipswich, Mass.) in the top of the first inning staked the Bears to the early 2-0 lead.

The Vikings answered in the home half of the first as Brahiam Ortega (Lawrence, Mass.) reached on an error, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, stole third and score on a throwing error by the catcher.

The Bears made it a 3-1 game in the top of the second. Kevin Lindsay (East Bridgewater, Mass.) walked with two outs, stole second and came around to score on an RBI single by Scott Emerson (Peabody, Mass.).

Ortega homered to lead off the bottom of the third inning to cut the deficit to 3-2.

Jay Wladkowski (Norwood, Mass.) walked with one out in the fifth, moved to second on a failed pickoff attempt and scored on an RBI double by Riley Thornell (Wareham, Mass.) to extend the lead to 4-2.

The Bears tacked on two more runs in the seventh to close out the scoring. Emerson walked, stole second, stole third and trotted home on a Wladkowski RBI single. After Wladkowski stole second, Thornell followed with an RBI single to give the visitors a four-run cushion.

Wladkowski went 2-for-3 with a walk, a stolen base, three runs and an RBI to pace the BSU offense in game one. Thornell (2-4, 2B, R, 2RBI) and Joshua Selander (Granby, Conn.) also recorded multiple hits for the Bears. Selander doubled and singled in three at bats.

Bridgewater stole six bases in the opener with Emerson leading the way with three steals.

Righthander Brock Pare (Lowell, Mass.) went all seven innings in the setback for Salem State. Pare (1-3) gave up six runs (four earned) on seven hits with four walks and four strikeouts. He also hit two batters.

Game Two: Bridgewater State 8, Salem State 2

BSU righthander David Kerns (East Cambridge, Mass.) tossed six solid innings as the Bears completed the sweep with an 8-2 win in game two. Kerns (2-1) allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits with four walks and eight strikeouts.

Bridgewater once again jumped out to the early lead plating two runs in the top of the first inning. James connected for an RBI single in the frame while the second run came in as a result of a Salem error.

The Vikings scored on a wild pitch and a passed ball to knot the score at 2-2 in the bottom of the first.

The Bears took the lead for good in the top of the second. Kyle Suraci (Clinton, Conn.) reached on an error to lead off the frame, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, to third on a wild pitch and scooted home on an Emerson RBI single. After Emerson stole second, Wladkowski followed with an RBI single and came all the way around to score when the right fielder misplayed the ball to give the visitors a 5-2 lead.

A two-run double by Suraci and an RBI triple off the bat of Lindsay in the third extended the BSU advantage to 8-2.

Suraci went 2-for-4 with a double, two runs and two RBI to pace the Bears' 11-hit attack in game two. Selander reached safely three times as he singled twice and walked in four plate appearances while scoring a pair of runs.

Righthander Mason Consigli (Northbridge, Mass.) gave up eight runs (four earned) on eight hits over four innings in the loss for the Vikings. Consigli (0-5) walked two and fanned one.

Notes: Bridgewater is 58-39 versus Salem since 1981….Josselyn needs four strikeouts to become just the third pitcher in program history to reach the 200 milestone….Josselyn is now at 215.2 innings pitched as he is closing in on the all-time program mark of 219 set by Tim Hart in 2003.

Up Next: The MASCAC schedule continues on Monday afternoon when the Bears entertain Massachusetts Maritime Academy at one o'clock.