Baseball Captures MASCAC Title, Advances to NCAA Tournament

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – The Bridgewater State University baseball team captured its second straight Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) Tournament title and seventh overall as the second-seeded Bears downed #5 seed Massachusetts Maritime Academy, 11-6, in the championship round of the 2023 MASCAC Tournament on Saturday afternoon at Framingham's Bowditch Field.

Bridgewater will now advance to the NCAA Division III Tournament for the second straight year and 16th time in the history of the program. The NCAA Division III Baseball Selection Show will air Monday, May 15th at noon on NCAA.com.

The Bears improve to 32-11 as they set the program record for wins in a season breaking the tie with the 1996 team. Bridgewater also captured the MASCAC Tournament title in 2001, 2003, 2004, 2011, 2012 and 2022.

Jay Wladkowski, who was named the tournament MVP, homered and drove in four runs to lead Bridgewater State to the 11-6 win. He also threw a runner out at the plate in the third inning.

David Kerns picked up the win on the mound for the Bears. Kerns (4-3) gave up six runs, only three of which were earned, on eight hits with two walks and six strikeouts.

Wladkowski belted his team-leading sixth home run of the season, a two-run shot over the centerfield fence, to stake the Bears to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning.

A bases loaded walk to Scott Emerson followed by a Wladkowski two-run single extended the BSU lead to-5-0 in the second.

An RBI single by Brett Velzis got the Buccaneers on the board in the top of the third inning.

A two-run single off the bat of Riley Thornell in the bottom of the fourth gave the Bears a 7-1 advantage.

The Bucs came roaring back with two runs in the fifth and three more in the seventh to cut the deficit to 7-6. Michael Loguidice double home a run and Velzis recorded a sacrifice fly in the fifth, while Velzis connected for a two-run triple in the seventh and scored on a Zach Sylvia RBI single.

A solo shot by Joey Molis in the bottom of the seventh gave the Bears a two-run cushion at 8-6. For Molis, the home run marked his fourth of the season.

Bridgewater tacked on three insurance runs in the eighth to up the lead to 11-6. Cam James smacked a two-run triple and scored on a squeeze bunt by Thornell.

Shane Handrahan notched his first save of the season. Handrahan came on with two runners on and one out in the eighth with the Bears clinging to an 8-6 lead. After hitting the first batter he faced, Handrahan induced an inning-ending double play. He then worked around a one-out walk and a single in the ninth, ending the game with a strike out and a fly out to Wladkowski in right.

Emerson (2-4, BB, SAC, SB, 2R, RBI), Wladkowski (2-4, HR, BB, 2R, 4RBI), Mathew Pigeon (2-3, SAC) and Sean Goudey (2-4, 2B,  R) notched two hits apiece to pace the Bears' 13-hit attack.

Velzis went 2-for-4 with a triple, a sacrifice fly, a run and four RBI to lead the way for Maritime. AJ Pietrefesa (3-5) and Aidan Henderson (2-4, R) also notched multiple hits for the Bucs.

Chase Dwight was saddled with the loss on the mound for Maritime. Dwight (2-4) gave up five runs on five hits over two innings with one walk and two strikeouts.

Notes: Emerson set the school record for runs in a season with 56 and reached the 100-run milestone for his career...Wladkowski reached the 100-RBI milestone.