WESTFIELD, Mass. – The Westfield State baseball team began a three-game slate against Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference foe Mass. Maritime, losing the series opener 6-2 on Friday afternoon from Hendy Field in Buzzards Bay, Mass.
The Owls drop to 6-11 on the season and 2-2 in conference play. The Buccaneers move to 12-8 overall and 2-2 in MASCAC action.
Westfield got the scoring started in the top half of the first with Nick Marshall (Reading, Mass.) tagging a run-scoring double to right field to score Alex Martin (Shrewsbury, Mass.) and give the Owls a 1-0 lead.
The Buccaneers answered for three runs in the bottom half of the frame, beginning with A.J. Pietrafesa (Harwinton, Conn.) who singled up the middle to plate Zach Sylvia (Brockton, Mass.) to tie the game at one run apiece.
After a John Tropea (East Sandwich, Mass.) single loaded the bases, Aidan Henderson (Hanover, Mass.) drew a walk to score the Buccaneers second run of the frame with another coming home to score on a wild pitch, putting Mass. Maritime up 3-1 after one inning.
Jake Houston (Bellingham, Mass.) led off the second inning with a double, then eventually came around to score on another Owls wild pitch to extend the Buccaneers lead to three runs.
Michael Estrada (Covington, La.) tacked on an RBI in the third, with Sylvia depositing a run-scoring single into left to generate Mass. Maritime's sixth run of the contest.
The Owls offense fell flat in the middle innings of the game as Westfield was held to just one hit from the third to the eighth inning.
Westfield attempted to mount a comeback in the final frame after a Marshall single and an Ethan Day (Meriden, Conn.) walk opened the inning. Trey Faulkner (Springfield, Mass.) was hit by a pitch two batters later, loading the bases with one out.
Nolan Florence (Chicopee, Mass.) kept the line moving with an RBI single to center to bring the tying run to the plate, but a 4-6-3 double play ended the rally.
Ryan Lapierre (Pittsfield, Mass.) got the start for Westfield as he allowed a season-high six earned runs on seven hits across 5.1 innings. He walked three and fanned eight while taking the loss.
Sam Huffman (Guilford, Conn.) turned in a strong effort on the mound for the Buccaneers, registering the win after covering the first five innings, giving up one run on four hits with seven strikeouts. Justin Brown (Chesapeake, Va.) finished the final four innings in relief, collecting his second save of the season.
Westfield State and Mass. Maritime will be back in action tomorrow as the Owls and Buccaneers clash in a doubleheader set from Hagan Field in Westfield, Mass. with game one beginning at 12:00 P.M. with game two to follow at approximately 3:00 P.M.