SALEM, Mass. – Westfield State senior Nate Langmeier (East Granby, Conn.) tossed a complete game to carry the Owls to a game one victory over Mass. Maritime, 3-2, before falling to the Buccaneers in game two by a score of 9-6 on a Saturday afternoon from Buzzards Bay, Mass. The Owls lost the series overall as Mass. Maritime took the series opener on Friday afternoon, 11-9.
With the doubleheader split, the Owls sit at 12-8 on the season while owning a 4-2 record in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference. Mass. Maritime moves to 11-9 overall and 4-2 in conference play.
Langmeier kept the Buccaneer bats quiet in game one, firing seven strong innings while fanning a season-high ten batters. It is the third time in his career that he has struck out ten hitters in a single game. He allowed two runs on five hits to record his fourth win of the season.
The Owls opened the game with a two-run blast off the bat of first-year Samuel Palmer (Medfield, Mass.) who extended his hitting streak to seven games after recording two hits in game one and another in the second game.
Mass. Maritime evened the game in the second inning with a pair of RBI singles by Frank Aten (Brockton, Mass.) and A.J. Luciano (Lynn, Mass.) with Luciano's base hit coming with two outs in the frame.
The game remained knotted at two runs apiece all the way into the sixth inning where the Owls cracked the scoreboard on an RBI double by senior Ethan Day (Meriden, Conn.) with two out to plate Palmer and give Westfield a 3-2 advantage.
Langmeier held a one-run lead through the final two innings as he struck out five of the last six hitters. He put an exclamation point on the outing by punching out the side in the seventh inning to secure the win.
Mass. Maritime starter Brodey Tinkham (Norton, Mass.) also fired a complete game in what turned out to be a pitcher's duel. Tinkham allowed three runs on six hits over the course of the seven innings. He walked three and struck out eight batters.
In game two, the Buccaneers heated up at the dish, putting together a five-run first inning which included two-run home runs by sophomore Brett Velzis (Cypress, Texas) and junior Chris Perito (East Falmouth, Mass.). Velzis added a sacrifice fly in the second inning to put the Owls in an early 6-0 hole.
Senior Nick Martin (Shrewsbury, Mass.) chipped away at the deficit, clubbing a two-run long ball in the third to score Trey Faulkner (Springfield, Mass.). Graduate student Max Silverman (Westford, Mass.) made it a three-run game after his run-scoring single in the fifth inning to drive in Martin.
The Buccaneers would answer in the bottom of the fifth as Michael Doyle (Boston, Mass.) recorded an RBI single to plate Velzis which was then followed by a two-run single by Luciano later in the inning to put Mass. Maritime back up six runs, 9-3.
In the Owls' last at bats, Day belted a three-run home run with two out in the inning to cut the deficit to three runs again, but the rally was ultimately too late.
First-year Hunter Dean (Plymouth, Mass.) captured the victory in game two after registering a complete game. He gave up six runs on nine hits and struck out seven hitters. Owls game two starter Ryan Robidoux (Suffield, Conn.) took the loss after surrendering nine runs (eight earned) on eight hits in 4.1 innings pitched. He walked four and struck out two.
Westfield State has a quick turnaround as the Owls travel to Keene State for a non-conference game on Monday for a 3:00 P.M. first pitch. Mass. Maritime hosts Fitchburg State in their next match-up on Thursday.