Baseball Drops 4-2 MASCAC Decision to Westfield

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The Westfield State University baseball team rallied for three runs in the top of the seventh inning as the visiting Owls posted a 4-2 win over Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) rival Bridgewater State University on Sunday afternoon at Alumni Park.

The two teams were completing a doubleheader from last Wednesday. The twinbill was rained out in the first inning of game two. Bridgewater had won game one by a margin of 7-0.

With today's victory, Westfield improves to 13-4 on the season and 2-2 in the MASCAC. The host Bears fall to 4-12 overall and 1-5 in conference play.

Bridgewater jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Jacob Souza singled to lead off the frame and Travis Ritchie followed with an RBI triple to the gap in left-center field. Ritchie raced home one out later on an RBI single off the bat of Keaghan Austin-MacInnis.

That, however, would be the only run production of the afternoon for the Bears.

BSU starter Shane Surette retired 13 out of the first 14 batters he faced and carried a no-hitter into the fifth inning.

With one out in the top of the fifth, Connor Sheridan reached on a bunt single to break up the no-hit bid. After advancing to second on a ground out, Sheridan stole third and then trotted home when the catcher's throw went into right field.

Trailing 2-1 with one out in the seventh, Danny Dimatteo reached on an infield single. David Holmes relieved Surette and, after Dimatteo moved to second on an error, fanned the first batter he faced. Sheridan, however, doubled to deep right field to plate Dimatteo with the game-tying run. Following a walk, Jeremy Tanguay blasted a two-run double to left field to give the Owls the 4-2 lead.

Pete Liimatainen, who got the final two outs of the sixth inning in relief of starter Tommy Nowlan, gave up a one-out single to Souza in the seventh but retired the next two batters to secure the win.

Liimatainen (2-0) picked up the win on the mound for the Owls.  Nowlan worked the first 5 1/3 innings allowing two runs on five hits with three walks and four strikeouts.

Surette gave up two runs, only one of which was earned, on two hits with two walks and a strikeout but did not figure in the decision.

Sheridan went 2-for-3 with two runs and an RBI to pace the Westfield offense. Tanguay reached safely twice in three plate appearances as he also walked.

Souza went 2-for-4 with a run to lead Bridgewater State. Scott O'Brien was 1-for-3 with a walk, while Billy Mitchell singled and walked in three trips to the plate.

The MASCAC schedule continues for both teams on Tuesday afternoon at two. The Bears travel to Mass. Maritime Academy for a pair of games with the Buccaneers, while the Owls host a doubleheader with MCLA.