Baseball Sweeps MASCAC Twinbill

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State University baseball team opened Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) play with a doubleheader sweep of visiting Framingham State University on Saturday afternoon at Alumni Park.

The Bears (8-6, 2-0 MASCAC) won the opener, 3-2, and completed the sweep with a 13-4 victory in game two. The Rams fall to 1-11 (0-2 MASCAC) on the season. Bridgewater State holds a 66-20 lead in the all-time series which dates back to 1971.

The win in game two marked the 100th in the BSU coaching career of Bears' skipper Greg Zackrison.

Game One: Bridgewater State 3, Framingham State 2

Nick Reiser (Nahant, Mass.) struck out the final two batters with the bases loaded in the top of the seventh to preserve the BSU victory.

The Rams had pulled within a run in the inning, but Reiser left three runners stranded, picking up his first collegiate save with two strikeouts.

Matthew Seavey (North Attleboro, Mass.) improved to 3-0 in five starts, allowing a run and six hits with three strikeouts in six innings.

The Rams took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning when Shane Costello (Wilmington, Mass.) homered to left field. For Costello, the homer marked his first of the season.

BSU answered in the fifth inning with its three runs.

Cam James (Ipswich, Mass.) reached on an outfield error and Scott Emerson (Peabody, Mass.) belted his first collegiate home run over the left field fence. With two outs, Ryan Flaherty (Duxbury, Mass.) singled to left and scored all the way from first on a double to left-center field by Steven Simon (Hanover, Mass.).

The Bears loaded the bases when Jay Wladkowski (Norwood, Mass.) and Riley Thornell (Wareham, Mass.) walked but were unable to add any more runs.

Framingham State scored in the top of the seventh when Dane Frellick (Fairview, N.C.) reached on an infield hit and pinch runner Scott Paquette (Pelham, Mass.) advanced on a single by Ryan Boyle (Arlington, Mass.). With one out, Robert Johnston (Watertown, Conn.) walked to load the bases and Costello walked to bring in the run.

Losing pitcher Vincent LoGuidice (Billerica, Mass.) went 5 2/3 innings, giving up one earned run and eight hits.

Emerson (2-4) and Simon (2-3) each finished with multiple hits for the Bears. Emerson also recorded his 71st career stolen base as he tied Brad Koneski (2006-09) for third place on the Bears' all-time list.

Boyle was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate for the Rams. He was also walked intentionally.

Game Two: Bridgewater State 13, Framingham State 5

The Bears got on the board in the home half of the first. Emerson led off the frame with a base hit, advanced to second, to third on a wild pitch and scored on an RBI single by Flaherty.

Bridgewater capitalized on a key fielding error to push across three unearned runs in the bottom of the second and extend the lead to 4-0. Flaherty knocked in a pair of run with a two-run double.

The Bears tacked on four more runs in the third to make it an 8-0 game. Wladkowski singled and scored all the way from first on an RBI double by Mathew Pigeon (Canton, Mass.). Pigeon came around to score on an RBI single by Thornell. Later in the inning, Emerson knocked in a pair of runs with a bases loaded two-run single.

In the fourth, Wladkowski walked with one out, stole second and scored on a two-out RBI single by Thornell.

Trailing 9-0, the Rams rallied for four runs in the top of the fifth inning to cut into the deficit. Costello, Lucas Basile (Upton, Mass.) and Boyle recorded consecutive RBI hits in the frame including a two-run double by Basile.

Bridgewater got the four runs right back in the hom half of the fifth. A two-run single by Stephen Simon (Hanover, Mass.) and a two-run double off the bat of Pigeon increased the BSU advantage to 13-4. All four runs in the frame were unearned.

An two-out RBI single by Framingham's JC Espinal (Peabody, Mass.) capped off the scoring in the top of the seventh.

The Bears banged out 12 hits, worked six walks and were hit three times in game two. The 13 runs were plenty for BSU starting pitcher Trey Yesu (Monson, Mass.) who picked up his second win of the season. Yesu (2-1) allowed four runs on sevent hits over six full innings with two walks and four strikeouts. He also hit a batter.

Emerson (2-4), Flaherty (2-4), Wladkowski (2-3), Pigeon (2-4) and Thornell (2-2) all recorded multiple hits for the Bears in the nightcap. Flaherty and Pigeon drove in three runs apiece while Emerson, Simon and Thornell each had two RBI.

Two Framingham hurlers combined to give up 13 runs on 11 hits over 4 2/3 innings with four walks and three hit batsmen. Only six of the 13 runs were earned due to to four FSU errors.

Boyle continued his hot hitting as he went 3-for-3 in game two with a double, walk and RBI.

Up Next: The Bears host Rhode Island College on Tuesday afternoon at 3:30 while the Rams entertain Albertus Magnus Collee on Monday afternoon at three.