WESTFIELD, Mass. – Westfield State first-year Samuel Palmer drilled a walk-off sacrifice fly to right field to send the Owls to a 4-3 victory over Bridgewater State in the series opener of a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference game from Bud and Jim Hagan Field on a Friday afternoon. The Owls have now won eight of their last nine games, and improve to 23-13 overall and 14-5 in the MASCAC. Bridgewater State, who currently owns the top spot in the conference standings, drops to 26-12 overall and 16-3 in conference play.
The festivities of senior day carried onto the field as Palmer delivered walk-off heroics for the second time this season. The inning began with pinch hitter Jake Butler (Westfield, Mass.) collecting an infield hit. Seniors' Zack Graveline (Prospect, Conn.) and Nick Martin (Shrewsbury, Mass.) each attempted sacrifice bunts as both players reached base via errors from the Bears defense. Palmer then followed with the bases loaded and nobody out in the inning, and tagged a 1-2 pitch into right-center field which was hauled in by right fielder Jay Wladkowski (Norwood, Mass.) but was plenty deep enough to drive in the winning run in Butler.
The game was tightly contested throughout with the Owls securing the first run of the game on an Ethan Day (Meriden, Conn.) two-out RBI single after Max Silverman (Westford, Mass.) roped a double to set up Day's run-scoring hit.
Bridgewater was quick to answer in the top half of the second as junior Sean Goudey (Weymouth, Mass.) tallied a two-out RBI of his own on a base hit through the right side to plate sophomore Kyle Suraci (Clinton, Conn.).
In the third inning, an injury to Owls starter Nate Langmeier (East Granby, Conn.) called upon lefty-reliever Joseph Fischer (Avon, Mass.) with a runner on first and a full count to the Bears top hitter in Wladkowski. Fischer threw one pitch in a walk to Wladkowski and then surrendered a run-scoring hit to sophomore Joe Frechette (Plymouth, Mass.) to give Bridgewater a 2-1 advantage. Fischer then induced a crucial 6-4-3 double play of clean-up hitter Joey Molis (Cumberland, R.I.) to mitigate the damage.
The Owls would even the game in the bottom half of the frame as Day stepped to the plate with runners on first and third with one out. The senior outfielder sent a fly ball into the right-center field gap which was collected by Wladkowski and thrown to first base where the Bears doubled off Palmer. However, Martin was quick enough to cross the plate before the third out was recorded, tying the game at two apiece.
Westfield broke the tie in the fifth inning off the bat of Silverman, who launched a fly ball to left field for his fourth home run of the season to put the Owls up 3-2. Once again, the Bears had an answer in the seventh inning as leadoff hitter Scott Emerson (Peabody, Mass.) drove in the equalizing run on a run-scoring hit on a scorching line drive that was knocked down on a hop by Graveline, but the throw was beat out by the speedy Emerson, allowing Goudey to cross the plate. Wladkowski then flew out to center on the next at bat, leaving the game knotted up at three.
In the eighth inning, the Owls turned to senior Shane Bogli (Vernon, Conn.) who was making his first appearance since April 1st where he tossed a complete game at Fitchburg State. The righty was sharp, setting down the side in order in the eighth inning, then returning for the ninth to punch out two while working around a hit. Bogli's two scoreless frames gave the Owls a chance to walk off in the ninth, which was eventually delivered by Palmer.
Bogli (W, 4-1) was one of three Owls relievers that pitched well due to the early injury-departure of Langmeier. Fischer collected five outs, allowing just one hit. Sean Casey (Amston, Conn.) was next up and looked sharp as well, covering three innings and allowing one run on one hit and a walk. Finally, it was Bogli who wrapped up the strong appearance from the pen, pitching the final two innings while striking out three and giving up one hit.
Bridgewater starter David Kerns (East Cambridge, Mass.) was effective across six innings, allowing three runs on five hits. He walked three and struck out two. First-year Shane Handrahan (Raynham, Mass.) (L, 4-1) suffered his first loss of the season after conceding one unearned run in 2.1 innings.
Westfield State recognized 11 seniors and graduate student-athletes prior to the start of the game: Nick Martin (Shrewsbury, Mass.), Zack Graveline (Prospect, Conn.), Damien Maniscalco (Branford, Conn.) Casey Boudreau (Shrewsbury, Mass.), Kyle Andreoli (Easton, Conn.), Shane Bogli (Vernon, Conn.), Nate Langmeier (East Granby, Conn.), Spencer TeWinkle (Clymer, N.Y.), Max Silverman (Westford, Mass.), Ethan Day (Meriden, Conn.), and Matt Motyka (Vernon, Conn.).
The series shifts to Bridgewater as the Owls and Bears will finish off the regular season in a doubleheader set tomorrow beginning at noon with playoff implications on the line.
