WESTFIELD, Mass. – Justin Neidel (Attleboro, Mass.) launched a three-run double to right field to clear the bases and send Westfield State to an 8-7 walk-off victory over Keene State in a game Westfield trailed by as many as six runs entering the eighth inning from Hagan Field in Westfield, Mass. on Wednesday afternoon.
Westfield has now won four straight games, moving to 10-3 on the season. Keene drops to 4-10 overall.
Westfield trailed 7-5 entering the bottom of the ninth. John Bessette (Andover, Mass.) drew a leadoff walk with the tying run Thomas LaSpada (West Hartford, Conn.) getting hit by a pitch on the next at bat to put runners on first and second with nobody out.
Robison Guerrero Baez (Dominican Republic) followed with a perfectly placed bunt that snuck past the pitcher out towards second base where he was able to beat out the throw, loading the bases.
With one out and the bases still full, Neidel delivered in a two-strike count by belting a fly ball out to deep right field, tailing towards the wall and deep enough for Sam Palmer (Medfield, Mass.) to score the game-winning run, wheeling all the way around the diamond from first base to secure the victory.
Westfield faced a steep uphill climb entering the bottom of the eighth inning after a four-run seventh from Keene extended their lead to 7-1. An error from Keene followed by a double from Baez began the rally. Palmer cut the deficit to four runs on a double to left centerfield to make it a 7-3 ballgame.
Later in the inning, Devin Slattery (Ware, Mass.) lined a single into centerfield to score Palmer, advancing Neidel to third base to put runners on the corners with one out in a 7-4 game. A wild pitch in the next at bat allowed Neidel to score, trimming the Keene lead to 7-5 after eight innings.
Dominic Novio (Mansfield, Mass.) neutralized Keene's offense in the ninth by tossing a scoreless frame, setting up Westfield's three-run rally in the bottom half to complete a six-run comeback in the final two innings. Novio logged his first victory of the season after the outing.
Keene built up a 3-1 lead after five innings with all three runs scoring on defensive miscues from Westfield. In the seventh inning, with two outs in the frame, Keene sent six straight hitters to the plate, drawing three walks and scoring two runs on hit-by-pitches, extending the Keene lead to 5-1. Otis Follet (Easthampton, Mass.) delivered a two-run single into left field to score Lucas Rogers (Deep River, Conn.) and Shea Zina (Greenville, N.H.), opening up a 7-1 lead.
Westfield had several different scoring opportunities earlier in the game, loading the bases in the first and fifth innings. Keene starter Jack Lang (Malverne, N.Y.) worked out of the first inning jam, finishing the start by allowing one run over three innings, giving up four hits and striking out three.
Troy Brennan (Wilton, N.H.) tossed two scoreless frames in the middle innings, stranding three runners on base in the fifth to work out of another prime scoring opportunity for Westfield. Prior to the final two innings, Westfield had left 12 men on base.
Ryan Donahue (Medfield, Mass.) got the start for Westfield, firing six innings, allowing three unearned runs on five hits with four walks and nine punchouts.
Westfield State will travel to Trinity College on Tuesday for their next game with first pitch at 3:30 P.M. Keene State will open up LEC play on Friday at Rhode Island College for a doubleheader beginning at noon.