WESTFIELD, Mass. – Westfield State sophomore starter Ryan Donahue (Medfield, Mass.) tossed six no-hit innings to guide the Owls to a 10-2 victory over MCLA in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference game on Monday afternoon from Bud and Jim Hagan Field in Westfield, Mass.
After a quiet weekend at the dish, the Owls bats heated up in a big way on Patriot's Day, collecting a season-high 17 hits as the bottom of the batting order fueled the Westfield offensive barrage. The pitching was just as impressive as Donahue (W, 3-1) kept the Trailblazers out of the hit column in his six inning stint, recording eight strikeouts while allowing three walks.
The Owls move to 14-11 on the season, and 6-4 in the MASCAC, while MCLA drops to 10-16 overall and 1-8 in the conference.
Westfield State got on the scoreboard in the first inning on a run-scoring single off the bat of graduate student Max Silverman (Westford, Mass.) to give the Owls a 1-0 lead.
In the second inning, the Owls added four additional runs, three of which came with two outs in the frame. Graduate student Casey Boudreau (Shrewsbury, Mass.) began the rally with a sacrifice fly to left field to plate senior Jake Butler (Westfield, Mass.). Senior Ethan Day (Meriden, Conn.) followed by ripping a two-RBI single to centerfield to score seniors' Nick Martin (Shrewsbury, Mass.) and Zack Graveline (Prospect, Conn.). Silverman plated his second RBI in as many innings, driving in Samuel Palmer (Medfield, Mass.) on single up the middle to give the Owls a 5-0 advantage.
One of two MCLA runs came in the ensuing inning as senior Austin Rachiele (Pittsfield, Mass.) scored Patrick Sheehan (Marshfield, Mass.) on a sac fly to cut the deficit to 5-1.
The Owls plated three more runs in the bottom of the fourth as senior Damien Maniscalco (Branford, Conn.) connected on one of his three hits on the afternoon with a two-run single to center. Silverman would come around to score on a wild pitch, which was then followed by a right-center gap shot by Graveline to score Mansicalco, and put the game out of reach at 9-1.
MCLA added a run in the fifth on a throwing error by the Owls and Day registered a sacrifice fly in the seventh to drive in Westfield's tenth run of the game.
MCLA starting pitcher Rob Correia (Waterbury, Conn.) took the loss after covering two innings for the Trailblazers, allowing five runs on five hits. Senior Matt Motyka (Vernon, Conn.) picked up the three-inning save to close out the game for the Owls, allowing just two hits.
Maniscalco, Butler, and Graveline all tallied three hits while Silverman anchored the middle of the lineup with three hits as well. Martin scored twice for Westfield, pushing his team-leading run total to 37 in 25 games played.
Westfield State stays home for their next match-up as the Owls host Elms College in a non-conference game from Bud and Jim Hagan Field on Wednesday at 3:30 P.M. MCLA will face-off with Worcester State in a conference game on Wednesday at 3:30 P.M.