Baseball Splits Doubleheader With Nationally-Ranked Trinity (CT)

Leesburg, FL --- Worcester State split a doubleheader with nationally-ranked Trinity (CT) on Sunday afternoon at Pat Thomas Stadium.

Behind a solid effort on the mound by sophomore Jared Kuzio (Franklin, MA), the Lancers posted the 6-3 victory in game one before the Bantams held off WSU for a 14-11 triumph in the nightcap.

Last years NCAA Division III New England Regional semifinalist Trinity is ranked #19 in this week's D3baseball.com Top 25 poll.

In the opener for the Blue and Gold (3-4), junior Joe Carlier (Rockland, MA) and freshman Joe Kasper (Lynn, MA) both contributed a pair of hits in the win.  For Trinity (3-2) there were no multi-hitters in the first game.

The Bantams snapped a scoreless tie in the top of the fourth when sophomore Robert Ferrara (Fairfield, CT) drove in senior Joe Papa (Stoneham, MA) from third. Papa reached on a two-out infield single to the pitcher and he moved to second on a wild throw to first.

But the Lancers answered right back in the bottom half of the fourth and made the score 2-1 when senior Nick Bonofiglio (Worcester, MA/Holy Name) drove in a pair of runs on a single with two outs. 

Following a lead-off walk to senior Marc Crowley (Andover, MA) in the top of the fifth, Trinity strung together consecutive hits to load up the bases to take the 3-2 edge on a run producing single by senior Michael Rueger (Teaneck, NJ).

Worcester State, however, took the 6-3 lead for good when they got to freshman Dylan Callahan (Greenwich, CT) and Trinity's bullpen in the next half inning.

After freshman Steve Wallace (Auburn, MA) and sophomore David Ruggiero (Danvers, MA) reached base and moved into scoring position on a wild pitch, Sabacinski belted a double to left field to drive them both in.

Sabacinski came across home plate on consecutive wild pitches before second-year Jeff Bolio (Oxford, MA) added the fourth run of the frame on a sacrifice fly.

With the three-run lead, junior Rob MacDonald (Waltham, MA) closed the door and notched his second save in the last three days. Macdonald struck out one and tossed two hitless innings.

In his first start of the season, Kuzio (1-0) fanned seven over his five innings of work. He gave up three earned runs on six hits and he walked two batters.

Callahan (0-1) absorbed the setback for Trinity. Callahan went four-plus innings yielding four earned runs to go with four strikeouts and a pair of walks.

After relieving junior Pat Carbone (N. Wales, PA), who had given up the final two runs in the fifth, sophomore David O'Brien (Fairfield, CT) stranded a man at third and he retired all four batters that he faced.

Worcester State finished with the 9-6 edge in base-knocks in the first game. Carlier crossed home plate twice for the Lancers.

Down early in the second contest, Worcester State made the score 4-1 in the top of the second inning. The four-run uprising was highlighted by a two-run double by Wallace and another run producing two-bagger by Ruggiero.

Trinity though wasted no time answering by batted around and put up six runs in the bottom of the second. Senior Stephen Rogers (Watertown, MA) underscored the outburst with a two-run homer.

The Bantams tacked on three more runs over the next two innings to make the score 9-4. Fourth-year Alex Almeida (Bridgeport, CT) crossed home plate on a wild pitch before Papa drove in Rogers on an RBI double in the third. Rueger notched the other score on an RBI ground-out.

Worcester State didn't go away as the Lancers took advantage of a two passed balls and an error in the infield to score a trio of runs to trail by just two in the top of the fifth.

After Trinity made the score 11-7 in the bottom of the fifth, the Blue and Gold continued to chip away at the lead with a pair of runs in the top of the sixth. Freshman Brandon Hoyle (Bridgewater, MA) picked a great time for his first collegiate hit with a run producing triple and Carlier added an RBI single.

But the Bantams seemingly put the game out of reach in the bottom of the sixth frame. Trinity took advantage of a balk and sophomore Bryan Wolfe (La Habra Heights, CA) hammered a two-run single to centerfield for the 14-9 contest.

The Lancers did not go away quietly as Wallace drove in his third run of the game with two outs and threatened with runners on first and second. But O'Brien came out for Trinity and fanned the final batter to end the contest.

Sophomore Scott Huley (Greenwich, CT) earned the win in relief for Trinity while second-year Michael Ivas (Princeton, MA/Holy Name) absorbed the setback in his season debut for the Blue and Gold.

Almeida, Rogers, Papa, Ferrara and freshman Scott Cullinane (E. Greenwich, RI) all chipped in with two base-knocks each to pace a 13-hit attack for the Bantams. Rogers crossed the plate four times and Almeida visited home on a trio of occasions.

Trinity took full advantage by scoring seven of their 14 runs on being hit by the pitch or by receiving a base on balls. Three other runs scampered across on wild pitches.

Gezotis was 3-for-5 while Ruggiero and Wallace swatted two safeties each to propel a 10 hit effort at the plate. Sabacinski scored twice for WSU.

Both squads play Rutgers-Camden in the next two days in 1 PM affairs. Trinity gets the pleasure on Monday with a twinbill at the Lake Myrtle Complex before Worcester State plays them at the Chain of Lakes Complex.