Westfield Forces If Necessary Game with 6-2 Win over Bears

WESTFIELD, Mass. – Josh Blair was 3 for 5 with two doubles and two RBI to lead Westfield State to a 6-2 victory over Bridgewater State in the championship round of the MASCAC baseball tournament on Sunday, May 8.

Both teams now have one defeat in the double elimination tournament and will play a winner-take-all game on Sunday, May 8, with the opening pitch scheduled for 3:45 p.m.

The Owls, who dropped a 12-inning game to Bridgewater on Saturday and defeated Worcester State Sunday morning to complete a halted game, scored five runs in the third inning to take an early 5-0 advantage.

Blair smacked a two-run double and hot-hitting Andrew Medeiros (3 for 4, triple) rapped a run-scoring single in the third inning uprising.  Westfield tacked on its final run in the sixth on an RBI double by Pete Hogan.

Bridgewater had plenty of scoring opportunities with eight hits and eight walks yielded by five Westfield pitchers but the Bears stranded 13 baserunners. Also, the Owls turned three double plays.

Connor Buckley, who pitched two and a third innings of effective middle relief, was credited with the victory but the Owls got a big boost from Roman Mondalto, who hurled the first four innings vs. Bridgewater after throwing the final two innings in the halted game vs. Worcester earlier in day.

Nick Noblit recorded three outs in the ninth inning to earn a save as he entered the game with runners and first and second and the tying run on deck.

Bear starting pitcher Jeff Puopolo sustained the setback. He threw into the sixth inning, walking three and allowing nine hits and three walks.  Jim Balboni and Brian Guillotte combined to hurl 3 1/3 innings of shutout relief.

Hogan and Dale Crispin both had a double and single in Westfield's 11-hit attack. Corey Batista led the Bears with a double and single.