Kuzio, Perlak Help Baseball Advance To MASCAC Tournament Final

2015 MASCAC Baseball Tournament Bracket

Buzzards Bay, MA --- Senior teammates Jared Kuzio (Franklin, MA) and Joe Perlak (Chicopee, MA) tossed a pair of gems to help lead third-seeded Worcester State into the MASCAC Tournament Championship game today at Mass Maritime's Hendy Field in the tournament semifinal round.

The Lancers (26-15) dispatched the top-seeded Buccanners, 6-1, in the first elimination game before blanking #4 Framingham State, 4-0, in the second must-win contest of the afternoon in the finale.

WSU will take on Salem State tomorrow in a rematch of last year's title game in Worcester. If the Lancers defeat the Vikings in the first game, both squads play for all the marbles in a second contest 30 minutes after the first one ends.

Kuzio (5-1) hurled an eight-hitter, permitting one unearned run over his nine frames of work while he fanned five and issued three walks on 136 pitches (84 strikes).

His lone blemish came in the top of the eighth following an RBI single by sophomore Jonah Olsen (Falmouth, MA) and he spun a pair of double plays to help the Lancer defense.

The Lancers took over the 5-0 score just two innings into the game and never looked back. After sophomore Adam Barry (Auburn, MA/Holy Name), the visitors took advantage of a throwing error by the catcher, scoring a pair of runs on RBIs by senior Nick Gikas (Danvers, MA) and classmate Zach George (Attleboro, MA).

WSU tacked on one more score in the ninth on a run scoring single to right field by George.

Overall, the Lancers led in total base-knocks 12-8 as the multi-hitters included George, senior David Ruggiero (Peabody, MA), fourth-year teammate Cody Osburn (Sacramento, CA) and sophomore Mike Powers (Weymouth, MA).

MMA junior Alex Rozak (Plymouth, MA/North) was tagged with the setback in the elimination game as he fell to 4-2. Classmate Kyle Kennedy (Woodbury, CT) kept the Worcester State bats in check by tossing seven frames of six-hit baseball.

In the win over the Rams, Perlak (7-1) matched the effort on the hill by firing seven scoreless frames permitting two hits with four strikeouts and walks.  

Worcester State took over the early 2-0 margin on run producing solo knocks by George and sophomore Jake Ryan (Whitinsville, MA).

The Lancers tacked on a single run in the fifth on a sacrifice fly by Barry before Gikas plated Powers with an RBI double in the sixth to give the visitors all they needed to earn the victory.

Entering the contest with man on every base and no outs in the top of the eighth, sophomore Tyler Barrie (Oxford, MA) fanned the first two batters and he got out of the inning unscathed with a ground out. He then nailed down his third stop of the year with a hitless ninth.

Freshman Kevin Connelly (Bolton, MA) was dealt the loss for the Rams. Connelly (5-2) went four-plus innings permitting three earned runs on six hits to go with two strikeouts and one walk.

Worcester State outslugged their opponents, 10-2, as Powers went 3-for-4 and Gikas had a pair of two-baggers.

There were no repeat hitters for the Rams, but senior Ivan Colon (Waltham, MA) reached base three times getting plunked twice and he drew a walk in the top of the sixth.