Baseball Clipped by Salem, 2-1 to End MASCAC Tournament Run

WESTFIELD, Mass. – Westfield State first-year starter Sean McNamara (Lowell, Mass.) fired seven strong innings but the Owls were only able to score one run against Salem State pitching, falling 2-1 in a MASCAC Semifinal game from Salem, Mass. on Saturday.

McNamara, appearing in his first game since April 23, tossed seven innings, allowing two runs on six hits, walking two and striking out for the Owls (27-16) who were eliminated from the conference tournament with the loss.

Nick Bamforth (Stoneham, Mass.) scattered six hits in 7.2 innings pitched, securing his fourth win of the season for the top-seeded Vikings (23-14), who advanced into the MASCAC Championship game to face second-seeded Bridgewater State.

Westfield State put a runner on in the fifth and sixth innings, but each time catcher EJ field (Gloucester, Mass.) cut down the runner attempting to steal to end the inning. 

Trailing 2-0 entering the eighth inning, a two-out double by Robison Guerrero Baez (Dominican Republic) to left center and pinch-hitter Chase Racine's (Pittsfield, Mass.) walk put runners on first and second. Jake Boucher (Wallingford, Conn.) came in to relieve Bamforth and Alex Martin (Shrewsbury, Mass.) came through with a base hit to left to cut the deficit to 2-1.

Devin Slattery (Ware, Mass.) hit a one-out double in the ninth for the Owls, then Justin Neidel (Attleboro, Mass.) hit a sinking line drive to left that appeared to tie the game, but Antonio Belgrove (Stamford, Conn.) picked the ball of the top of the turf and easily doubled off Slattery to end the game.

Boucher registered a four-out save for Salem, allowing two hits while fanning one.

Boucher drove in Mark Smith (East Haven, Conn.), who singled and stole second with the game's first run with a base hit to center in the bottom of the first.

Three straight two-out singles by Salem State extended the lead to 2-0 in the sixth inning. Belgrove and Aiden Lynch (North Andover, Mass.) hit back-to-back singles before Owen Duggan (Billerica, Mass.) plated a run with a base hit to left. However, Westfield State escaped further damage when leftfielder Sean Clark (Dudley, Mass.) threw out Lynch trying to take third. 

Parts of release courtesy of Salem State sports information.