Baseball Sweeps UMass Dartmouth

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State University baseball team swept a non-conference doubleheader with UMass Dartmouth on Saturday afternoon at Alumni Park. The twinbill marked the home opener for the Bears. Bridgewater posted a 6-3 win in game one and rallied from a 5-0 sixth inning deficit to complete the sweep with a 6-5 victory in the nightcap.

The Bears improve to 7-2 on the season, while the Corsairs fall to 9-3 with their third straight setback. Bridgewater has won 12 of the last 16 meetings of the two teams. The Corsairs were making their first appearance at Alumni Park since 2016.

Game One: Bridgewater State 6, UMass Dartmouth 3

Graduate righthander Matt Josselyn (Hanson, Mass.) went the distance on the mound for the Bears to pick up the complete game victory in game one. Josselyn (2-1) allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits over seven innings with four walks and eight strikeouts.

UMass got on the board in the top of the second inning. Junior third baseman Andrew Possi (Milton, Mass.) walked with one out, advanced to second on a ground out and came around to score on a clutch two-out RBI single by senior second baseman Adam Horowitz (Seekonk, Mass.).

The Bears capitalized on a UMD error to push across a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the third. Sophomore centerfielder DJ Prampin (Worcester, Mass.) reached on an error to lead off the frame and promptly stole second. Following a walk to junior shortstop Kevin Lindsay (East Bridgewater, Mass.) and a fielder's choice ground out on an attempted sacrifice bunt, junior right fielder Jay Wladkowski (Norwood, Mass.) smacked a double over the centerfielder's head to plate Lindsay with the tying run. Freshman third baseman Riley Thornell (Wareham, Mass.) then gave the hosts a 2-1 lead with a sacrifice fly on a foul out to right.

An RBI single by Wladkowski in the bottom of the fifth extended the BSU lead to 3-1.

UMass senior shortstop DJ Perron (Swansea, Mass.) belted his seventh home run of the season, a two-run blast over the centerfield fence, to knot the score at 3-3 in the top of the sixth inning.

A lead-off double by BSU senior third baseman Joey Molis (Cumberland, R.I.) followed by an RBI triple by freshman left fielder Dan Jasmin (East Meadow, N.Y.) put the Bears back on top in the home half of the sixth. Following a walk to junior pinch hitter Kyle Suraci (Clinton, Conn.), senior catcher Mathew Pigeon (Canton, Mass.) dropped down a perfectly execute squeeze bunt to make it a 5-3 game. Lindsay then lined an RBI single into right field to give the hosts a three-run cushion.

Josselyn worked around a one-out walk in the seventh, striking out the final two batters to secure the victory.

Wladkowski went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI to pace the BSU offense.

Perron was 2-for-3 at the plate with the two-run homer to lead the way for UMass.

Senior righthander Ryan Qualey (Woburn, Mass.) got the start for the Corsairs and pitched into the sixth inning. Qualey (0-1) gave up six runs (four earned) on six hits over 5 2/3 innings in the setback with two walks and a strikeout.

Game Two: Bridgewater State 6, UMass Dartmouth 5

Bridgewater State rallied from a 5-0 deficit with a six-run sixth inning as the Bears completed the sweep with the 6-5 win.

The game was scoreless for the first four innings before the Corsairs manufactured a run in the top of the fifth to break the 0-0 tie. Sophomore left fielder Scott Cromack (West Kingstown, R.I.) was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, to third on a wild pitch and trotted home on a sacrifice fly to center off the bat of graduate right fielder Chase Stafford (Somerset, Mass.).

UMass extended the lead to 5-0 with a four-run sixth inning. Cromack and freshman centerfielder Brett Baker (Chelmsford, Mass.) rapped RBI singles in the frame, while Stafford and senior first baseman Andrew Bryant (Canton, Mass.) each cracked RBI doubles.

UMD sophomore lefthander Adam Maher (Plymouth, Mass.) took a shutout into the sixth inning. Maher allowed just two hits and a walk over the first five innings with ten strikeouts before running into trouble in the sixth.

Staring at a five-run deficit, the BSU offense was able to get untracked. Sophomore second baseman Scott Emerson (Peabody, Mass.) lined a base hit into center to lead of the frame, moved to second on a wild pitch and came around to score on Wladkowski's RBI single. The Bears then loaded the base with nobody out as Molis was hit by a pitch and Jasmin walked. That would chase the starter Maher. A wild pitch plated Wladkowski and Molis raced home on a Nolan DeAndrade (Fr., Bridgewater, Mass.) sacrifice fly to cut the deficit to 5-3. An RBI single by freshman pinch hitter Joshua Selander (Granby, Conn.) pulled the Bears to within one and Lindsay followed with a two-run single into left field to complete the improbable comeback.

Senior righthander Tyler Dasilva-Medeiros (Taunton, Mass.) picked up his second save of the season and of his career as he worked out of some trouble in the top of the seventh. Dasilva-Medeiros hit a batter, gave up a walk and made a throwing error on a sacrifice bunt attempt, but a costly base running mistake hurt the Corsairs. With runners on first and second with one out, the Bears' closer recorded back-to-back strikeouts to secure the win.

Sophomore lefthander Shane Handrahan (Raynham, Mass.) notched the win in relief of starter David Kerns (East Cambridge, Mass.). Handrahan (2-0) faced two batters in the sixth allowing a hit before inducing a pop up to end the inning. Kerns gave up five runs on eight hits over 5 2/3 innings with three walks and seven strikeouts.

Maher allowed four runs on four hits over five-plus innings with two walks and ten strikeouts but did not factor in the decision. Sophomore righthander Andrew Steinhubel (Waltham, Mass.) suffered the loss in relief for the Corsairs. Steinhubel (3-1) gave up two runs (one earned) on two hits with a walk and two strikeouts in an inning of work.

Wladkowski went 3-for-3 with a run and an RBI to highlight the BSU offense in game two. Bryant notched three hits and a walk in four plater appearances including a pair of doubles to pace the Corsairs.

Both teams are back in action on Tuesday afternoon at 3:30. The Bears travel to Mitchell College to take on the Mariners, while the Corsairs head to Wheaton College to battle the Lyons.