Baseball Drops 6-5 Decision to Johnson & Wales

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – The visiting Johnson & Wales University baseball team posted a 6-5 victory over Bridgewater State University on Thursday afternoon at Alumni Park.

The Wildcats improve to 11-6 on the season, while the host Bears fall to 4-10.

Josh Mousseau (Woonsocket, R.I.) picked up the win for the Johnson & Wales as he worked the first five inning. Mousseau (2-1) allowed a run on two hits and four walks with six strikeouts.

Edison Mercado (Providence, R.I.) went 2-for-5 with a double and two RBI to pace the Wildcat offense. Mercado singled home a run in the first and raked an RBI double in the third as JWU jumped out to a 4-0 advantage. After the Bears got on the board with a double steal in the third, Rich Bourdeau (Pawtucket, R.I.) and Vin Amalfitano (Massapequa, N.Y.) added a pair of RBI singles in the sixth to give the visitors a comfortable 6-1 lead.

Bridgewater chipped away at the deficit on an RBI single by Lewis Robinson (New Britain, Conn.) in the sixth and an Alex Carey (East Bridgewater, Mass.) RBI double in the seventh. Trailing 6-3 in the bottom of the ninth, Carey pulled the hosts to within a run on a two-out, two-run single. The Bears had the tying run on base and the winning run at the plate, but Steve Rocchio (Cranston, R.I.) induced a harmless pop up to end the game.

Carey, who reached safely in four out of five plate appearances, finished 2-for-3 at the plate with a double, a run and three RBI. He also walked twice.

Rocchio picked up his first save of the season despite giving up the two runs in the ninth.

Matt Josselyn (Hanson, Mass.) pitched effectively over five innings in the setback for BSU. Josselyn (0-2) allowed four runs (one earned) on seven hits with a walk and six strikeouts in five innings of work. Three of the four runs were unearned.

The Bears banged out seven hits in the contest and were issued seven walks, but left 11 runners on base

Both teams are back in action on Saturday afternoon with conference doubleheaders. The Bears entertain MASCAC rival Worcester State University at one, while the Wildcats are on the road to take on GNAC foe Anna Maria College at four.