Worcester State Takes Two From Southern Maine In Afternoon Affair

Auburndale, FL --- Junior Nick Gezotis (Westfield, MA) went 6-for-9 with a pair of runs and six RBIs to help propel Worcester State to a sweep of Southern Maine this afternoon in non conference baseball action at the RussMatt Invitational. The Lancers took both contests by scores of 8-3 and 8-4.

With the wins the Lancers improve to 4-8 while the Huskies slip to 5-3. USM won the Division III College World Series in 1991 and 1997 and was ranked #21 in the first Collegiate Baseball preseason poll of the season.

In the opener, Southern Maine staked the early 2-0 advantage when sophomore Mark Verrier (Bangor, ME) laced an RBI single through the right side in the first inning and on a plated ground-out by senior David Ricker (Winthrop, MA).

The Blue and Gold put up a crooked number for a three-run fourth frame on RBI base-knocks by sophomore Dan Ubele (Tyngsboro, MA) and freshman Zach George while junior Kurt Sabacinski (Worcester, MA/St. Peter-Marian) crossed home plate on a wild pitch.

The Huskies loaded the bases in the bottom of the fifth with one man down, but only a sacrifice fly by junior Tucker White (Deerfield, NH) was the only damage that third-year southpaw Nick Bonofiglio (Worcester, MA/Holy Name) allowed in the inning.

With the score knotted at 3-3 heading into the top of the seventh, the Lancers took advantage of several USM free passes with a five-run inning.

Sophomore righthander Matt Powers (Portland, ME), who was summoned in the game in the fifth with no outs and runners on second and third, retired seven straight before running into trouble in the seventh. After allowing a single and a walk, two more Husky relievers issued three straight walks. The Lancers would make their opponents pay when Gezotis hammered a bases-clearing triple for final score.

Bonofiglio was lifted with runners on first and second and no outs for freshman Cody Osburn (Fair Oaks, CA) who got the final two men to preserve the win. Bonofiglio (2-1) would finish tossing 6 1/3 innings yielding three runs on eight hits to go along with five walks and one strikeout.

Powers (0-1) was tagged for the setback for putting the go-ahead runs on base in the seventh.

Gezotis tallied three hits in the first game while Ubele, Sabacinski, and freshman Jeff Bolio (Oxford, MA) each recorded two base-knocks. Sabacinski and senior Jack Rafferty (Thompson, CT) each scored twice for WSU.

Senior Anthony Pisani (Cheshire, CT) and sophomore Forrest Chadwick (Gardiner, ME) were the multi-hitters for Southern Maine with two hits apiece.

The Lancers also had the 12-8 edge in base-knocks in the first contest.

USM started off the second game with the early three-run lead when they were helped by several Lancer miscues.

Pisani scampered home on a wild throw by the catcher in an attempt to gun down Chadwick, who stole second, and then Chadwick came around to score on a mishandled play by the leftfielder. Junior Nick Grady (Whitefield, ME) tacked on the third run on an RBI single.

Worcester State responded with a pair of runs over the next two frames. With the bases loaded in the first, Gezotis came home on a balk before Bolio lifted a sacrifice fly. In the second, Gezotis did it again when he crushed a two-run double for the 4-3 lead.

Over the next three innings, junior righthander Alex Teal (Malden, MA) would be tested when he pitched through bases loaded jams in the top of the third and fourth. Teal saved his best inning last with a 1-2-3 fifth. Teal (2-2) allowed three runs (two earned) with six strikeouts, five walks and a pair of hit batters.

The Lancers used a four-run fifth inning to create some breathing room. Sabacinski, George along with freshmen classmates Brian O'Connor (W. Boylston, MA) and David Ruggiero (Peabody, MA) highlighted the inning with RBIs.

Southern Maine made things interesting in the bottom of the seventh by loading the bases and driving in a run on a single by junior Brett Barrett (Keene, NH), but the rally fell short when freshman Joe Perlak (Chicopee, MA) retired the side for the triumph.

Gezotis and sophomore Joseph Carlier (Rockland, MA) notched two hits apiece as Gezotis crossed home place twice. Verrier scored two of USM's four runs.

In his collegiate debut for Southern Maine, freshman Alex Tobey (South Berwick, ME) was tagged with the setback. Tobey only went 4 1/3 innings allowing eight runs on five hits with four walks and a trio of punch-outs.

WSU had the 9-5 lead in hits in the second game while they would pound out 21 base-knocks in the twinbill. Of the four extra-base hits that were registered on the afternoon, Gezotis had three of them for doubles.

W orcester State takes a day off before they play in a pair of nine inning affairs on Saturday. The Lancers take on St. Thomas (MN), who raised the walnut and bronze trophy two seasons ago in Appleton, WI, at 9:30 at the Chain of Lakes Stadium before they play Sewanee (TN) at 1:30 PM on Chain of Lakes Field #1.

Lancer Hall of Fame outfielder Jim Quinn spoke to the squad prior to the contest and spoke about how important it is to focus during the game on each at-bat and every pitch.

Quinn, a two-time All-New England player, helped lead Worcester State to its first NCAA appearance during the 1983 season.