WESTFIELD, Mass. – Eastern Connecticut State University graduate student Josh Tower (Auburn, Mass.) recorded two hits and three RBI as the 4th ranked Warriors defeated Westfield State, 8-2, on a Wednesday afternoon from Bud and Jim Hagan Field in Westfield, Mass.
The Owls drop to 5-4 on the season with the loss, while Eastern Connecticut improves to 10-1.
The Warriors opened the scoring immediately in the top half of the first, beginning with Tower who extended the inning with a two-out run scoring single to left field to plate junior Zach Donahue (South Windsor, Conn.). The rally would continue as sophomore Alejandro Soriano (Hartford, Conn.) laced a single to right field to score two more runs to put the Warriors up 3-0.
Westfield State had scoring chances of their own in the bottom half of the frame, loading up the bases with one out. Warriors' starter Aidan Dunn (Westfield, Mass.) was able to navigate the next two hitters with a strikeout and a ground out to escape the jam.
Tower added a sacrifice fly in the top of the fifth to push the lead to 4-0. In the bottom of the inning, first-year Nick Marshall (Reading, Mass.) put the Owls on the board with a two-out RBI single to score senior Nick Martin (Shrewsbury, Mass.).
Westfield had their greatest opportunity to cut into the deficit in the sixth inning which once again included a bases loaded, one out situation. The Warriors went to the bullpen to call upon senior Bryan Albee (Killingly, Conn.) who induced an infield fly on the first batter faced. Martin drew a two-out walk to score senior Ethan Day (Meriden, Conn.) to trim the lead to three before Albee forced a ground out to second to mitigate the damage.
In the seventh inning, Tower recorded his third RBI of the afternoon with a run scoring single passed the diving Devin Slattery (Ware, Mass.) to push the Eastern lead back up to four runs.
Eastern Connecticut put the game out of reach in the eighth inning, scoring three runs in the inning which included RBIs by Donahue and junior Mark Bagdasarian (Wethersfield, Conn.).
Owls starting pitcher Shane Bogli (Vernon, Conn.) turned in a gritty performance, working into the seventh inning after a three-run 39-pitch first inning. After the first inning, Bogli allowed two runs in 5.2 innings pitched. He finished the afternoon allowing five runs (four earned) on six hits with five punch outs.
Dunn picked up his first win of the season, registering five innings and allowing two runs on six hits. The Warriors bullpen kept the Owl bats quiet late in the game, pitching four scoreless innings and surrendering just two hits. Graduate student Tommy Benincaso (Norwalk, Conn.) was most effective, closing the final two innings with a hit and two strikeouts.
Martin recorded his fifth multi-hit game of the season. Marshall earned his tenth RBI of the year.
Graduate student John Mesagno (Tappan, N.Y.) collected four hits and a run scored for Eastern Connecticut.
Westfield State is back in action on Friday as the Owls travel to Western New England for a single game on Friday afternoon starting at 3:30 P.M. before returning home to host the Golden Bears for a doubleheader on Saturday from Bud and Jim Hagan Field starting at noon. Eastern Connecticut will return home for their Little East Conference opener against Castleton University for a doubleheader starting at noon.