Baseball Erases Ninth Inning Deficit To Capture, 4-3, Walk-Off Win Over Newbury

Worcester, MA --- Sophomore Steve Fitzmaurice (Foxboro, MA) scampered home on a passed ball with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth inning to erase a two-run deficit and give the Lancers a 4-3 walk-off win over Newbury College this afternoon in non-conference baseball action at Rockwood Park.

The Blue and Gold (16-18) entered the last of the ninth down 3-1, but quickly loaded the bases with no outs on a pair of singles and a hit batsman. Fitzmaurice then pinch-ran at first base representing the winning run.

Second-year Zach George (Attleboro, MA) continued his torrid pace at the plate by extending his hitting streak to eight games with an RBI single to left center to get the hosts within one run.

After a walk to sophomore Rob MacDonald (Waltham, MA) forced in the tying run, a 2-1 fastball squirted between the legs of the catcher all the way to the backstop and Fitzmaurice raced home with a head first slide for the, 4-3, walk-off victory.

Newbury (8-26) notched the first run of the game in the top of the fourth as freshman Ryan Zahornasky (Shelton, CT) led off with a double and came around to score on sophomore Ryan Sinclair's (Portsmouth, RI) infield single for the 1-0 edge.

The Blue and Gold responded quickly as second-year Nicholas Gikas (Danvers, MA) plated the equalizer with a single through the right side to score junior Dan Ubele (Tyngsboro, MA).

The score remained tied 1-1 until the Nighthawks broke through to score a pair of unearned runs in the top half of the eighth.

Zahornasky reached on a throwing error by the shortstop with two-outs to extend the inning. Freshman Mack Flynn (Windham, NH) then blooped a base-knock down the left field line for a single and both runners advanced on a throwing error by the third baseman, putting runners at second and third.

Sinclair then laced one up the middle plating both runners for the 3-1 advantage.

Senior Cruz Rosado (Clinton, MA) went all nine innings on the bump for Worcester State improving his record to 1-3 on the year. Cruz allowed three runs (one earned) on five hits to go with three walks and four strikeouts.

Third-year Travis Wade (Portland, ME) was the tough luck loser. Wade (1-5) surrendered the game winning run coming on in relief of Sinclair, who pitched into the ninth inning.

Sinclair, who was stellar through his first eight frames, allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits striking out a pair and issued a trio of free passes.

Sinclair finished the day 2-for-4 at the dish driving in all three runs as Mack also notched a pair of hits for the visitors.

Sophomore David Ruggiero (Peabody, MA) was the only Lancer to have a multi-hit game as he went 2-for-5 with a run scored.

The Blue and Gold led in the hitting department (7-5) and they stranded eight men in scoring position as the Nighthawks left six on the base paths.

Worcester State returns to action tomorrow as they host Fisher College on "Senior Day" at the Lyons Baseball Diamond with first pitch scheduled for 4 PM. Newbury will next travel to Maine-Presque Isle for a double-header on Saturday at 2 PM.

Story By John Hanna --- Sports Information Graduate Assistant