WESTFIELD, Mass. -- Alex Loparco rapped out three hits, and reserve catcher Brian Valeriano hit a two run triple to break open a close game as Western New England University rallied past Westfield State to win 13-5 in a non-conference baseball game at Bud and Jim Hagan Field on Saturday afternoon.

The Golden Bears, 14-4 overall and receiving votes in the D3Baseball.com national poll, grabbed a 1-0 lead in the third inning as Loparco singled and eventually scored on Joe Casella's base hit.

Westfield tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the fourth on a double from Alex Lafayette, who later scored on Brett Dooley's RBI single.

Lafayette gave Westfield a 4-2 lead in the fifth after blasting a three-run home run to left center field.

WNE tied the game at 4-4 in the top of the sixth as Loparco singled and scored the game tying run. The Bears broke the game open with three runs in the seventh on a hit batsman, a walk, a base hit, a wild pitch a passed ball, and an RBI groundout from Loparco with the infield in.

The two teams traded runs in the eighth inning, but Western New England pulled away with five runs in the top of the ninth, including a two-run triple into the left field corner from Valeriano, who had come into the game defensively in the eighth inning.

Sean Halligan (1-0) picked up the win in relief for Western New England, with Wes Walton earning his first save.

Reliever Jamie Butler (0-2) took the loss in relief of starter Nate Barnes, who scattered 16 baserunners over 5.1 innings, but allowed just four runs.

Lafayette finished 3-4 with two doubles and a homerun, driving in three and scoring two. Colin Dunn and Jake Gibb each rapped a pair of hits for the Owls.

Westfield is now 11-11-1 on the season. The Owls will be back in action tomorrow, hosting a single game against the US Coast Guard Academy at 3:30 p.m.