DAVENPORT, Fla. – The Westfield State baseball team recorded a split with Anderson University (Ind.) in a doubleheader set, winning game one by a score of 10-5 before falling in two, 12-0, on Friday evening from Northeast Regional Park in Davenport, Florida.
Westfield State sits at 4-1 on the season while Anderson owns a 5-5 record.
In game one, the Owls' bats continued to produce, scoring at least one run in each of the first five innings. Graduate student Max Silverman (Westford, Mass.) got the scoring started with a sacrifice fly in the first inning to drive in senior Nick Martin (Shrewsbury, Mass.). In the second inning, sophomore Nolan Florence (Chicopee, Mass.) returned to the starting lineup in an impactful way, belting a towering home run to left-center field to put the Owls up two. Martin would follow in the third inning, hitting his second home run of the season to give Westfield a 3-0 lead.
Anderson would answer in the fourth inning as junior Justin Reed (Martinsville, Ind.) drove a solo shot over the left field wall to cut the deficit to two runs. The Owls would immediately answer in the bottom half of the frame, putting together their best crooked number of the afternoon. Senior Damien Maniscalco (Branford, Conn.) sent a fly ball to deep center field for a sacrifice fly to plate sophomore Trey Faulkner (Springfield, Mass.). Two batters later, graduate student Casey Boudreau (Shrewsbury, Mass.) ripped a 2-2 pitch down the left field line to send in Martin and Zack Graveline (Prospect, Conn.). Nick Marshall (Reading, Mass.) added a run-scoring single to cap off a four-run inning for the Owls to give them a 7-0 lead.
Westfield compiled three additional fifth inning runs to tally ten on the afternoon. Senior Nate Langmeier (East Granby, Conn.) got the nod in game one, pitching into the eighth inning. He allowed five runs on six hits while punching out eight hitters without walking a batter. He recorded his second win in as many starts.
Luke Mathewson (Eastford, Conn.) and Shane Bogli (Vernon, Conn.) recorded the remaining five outs to secure the victory.
Jed Downham (Fort Wayne, Ind.) added a two-run home run late in the game for Anderson. Kasey Henderson (Muncie, Ind.) started for the Ravens, allowing three runs on six hits over three innings of work.
In game two, the Owls were shut down by Anderson starter Walker Stull (Pendleton, Ind.). The junior right-hander tossed a complete game one-hitter while striking out nine and walking two. Tyler Smitherman (Westfield, Ind.) got the Ravens out to a quick 3-0 advantage, driving a three-run shot to right-center field to open the scoring in inning one. Anderson would tack on a pair of runs in both the second and third innings to lead 7-0. A five-run sixth would extend the lead to double digits, eventually ending the game in seven innings.
Stull registered his first win of the season, while first-year Samuel Palmer (Medfield, Mass.) dropped his first decision of the season. Ryan Donahue (Medfield, Mass.) was the most productive Owls pitcher out of the bullpen, logging 3.2 innings of work and allowing two runs on five hits while fanning six.
Westfield State will play their final game of the Florida swing tomorrow as the Owls face-off against Washington University (Mo.) at 4:00 P.M. from Lake Myrtle Field in Auburndale, Florida.