WESTFIELD, Mass. – Westfield State graduate student Max Silverman (Westford, Mass.) belted a home run and two RBI, but the Owls late game rally falls short in an 11-9 defeat to Mass. Maritime in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference game on Friday afternoon from Bud and Jim Hagan Field in Westfield, Mass. Trailing 11-3 heading into the eighth inning, the Owls plated five runs to get within striking distance, and added another run in the ninth, but were unable to push any more runs across.
Mass. Maritime improves to 10-9 overall and 3-1 in the MASCAC. The Buccaneers snapped a four-game winning streak for the Owls, who drop to 11-7 on the season and take their first loss in conference play, falling to 3-1.
Mass. Maritime was first on the board in the opening frame, as a run scored on a hit by pitch to junior John Tropea (East Sandwich, Mass.). The Owls answered in the bottom half of the inning as Ethan Day (Meriden, Conn.) plated Samuel Palmer (Medfield, Mass.) on a sacrifice fly to even the game 1-1.
The Buccaneers jumped all over the Owls in the second inning to the tune of five runs on five hits. Sophomore AJ Pietrafesa (Harwinton, Conn.) singled through the left side of the infield to score both A.J. Luciano (Lynn, Mass.) and Alex Schlapak (Dover, N.H.). Sophomore Brett Velzis (Cypress, Texas) followed by lacing a base hit into center field to send home Zach Sylvia (Brockton, Mass.). Designated hitter Aidan Henderson (Hanover, Mass.) capped off the barrage with a two-out two-run single to center to put Mass. Maritime up 6-1 midway through the second inning.
Mass. Maritime added two more runs, one in the fourth inning and one in the fifth. Henderson connected on a double down the left field line in the fourth and Velzis unloaded on an RBI triple into the right-center field gap in the fifth to extend the lead to 9-1.
The Owls got two runs back in the bottom of the fifth as Silverman smashed a solo home run to left field and senior Zack Graveline (Prospect, Conn.) blistered a ball down the left field line to plate Casey Boudreau (Shrewsbury, Mass.) to make it a six run game.
The Buccaneer bats would stay hot however, adding a run in the sixth and seventh inning on RBI knocks by Luciano and Tropea to give Mass. Maritime a sizeable 11-3 lead.
Westfield State would not go down quietly, exploding in the eighth inning for five runs. Day grounded out to first to score the Owls second run of the game, and sophomore Nolan Florence (Chicopee, Mass.) delivered a sac fly to left to trim the deficit to six runs, 11-5. With two outs in the inning, the Owls plated three additional runs, as a hit and a pair of walks loaded the bases. Boudreau lashed a run-scoring single to right field to extend the inning, which was followed by two runs scoring on an error to cut the Buccaneers' lead to just three runs. Maritime closer Brendan Baiardi (Harwinton, Conn.) was able to mitigate any further damage, forcing Martin to ground into a fielder's choice.
In the ninth inning, the Owls put immediate pressure on Baiardi, beginning with a Palmer walk and then a double by Day to bring the tying run to the plate. Baiardi settled in to eliminate any further rally, getting a strikeout, ground out and pop-up to the catcher to record his third save of the season and secure the series-opening victory.
Buccaneers starter Justin Brown (Chesapeake, VA) picked up his second win of the season, logging 7.2 innings of work, allowing seven runs (six earned) on nine hits with four strikeouts. Owls starter Joseph Fischer (Avon, Mass.) was saddled with the loss after recording four outs and surrendering six runs on five hits.
Westfield State and Mass. Maritime will play again tomorrow in a doubleheader set with the series shifting to Buzzards Bay, Mass. for a 1:00 P.M. start time.