Worcester State Comes Away with a Win over Keene State

Myrtle Beach, SC- The Worcester State Baseball team was back in action today after a two break down in Myrtle Beach looking to get back to their winning ways. The Lancers first foe back to actions was Keene State College in a double header on Wednesday night. The Lancers would come away from the day with a split with the Owls, grabbing game one 11-1 and dropping the second in a pitching battle, 3-0.

The Lancers and the Owls remained scoreless until the top of the 5^th when graduate student Sean Devin (Lynn, MA) found first base after being hit by a pitch to get on base to start the Lancers charge for a run. Junior Tom Halliwell (Leominster, MA) would single on a line drive to right field allowing Devin to advance to second and Worcester State to have two batters on base. Sophomore Tyler Smith (Leominster, MA) came to the plate with two outs already on the record for the Lancers and followed in Halliwell's footsteps, sending another line drive to right field and driving Devin in for run number one for Worcester State. A senior Chris Ausiello (Tyngsboro, MA) walk found the bases loaded and the Lancers on the doorstep of another run when senior Zack Landry (Mashpee, MA) sent a line drive to center field, scoring Smith and Halliwell to put the Lancers up 3-0 at the close of the fifth inning.

The game would remain 3-0 until the bottom of the 6^th with Keene State would grab one run back from the Lancers before junior Jared Kapurch (Charlton, MA), and the Lancers defense, played their way out of the inning. The seventh inning saw Worcester State explode on offense. Sophomore Xavier Quezada (Providence, MA) was the first batter up, sending a line drive to center field for a double. Tyler Smith quickly found himself on first base after tipping a ball foul, he was hit by a pitch from the pitcher. Ausiello was intentionally walked to load up the bases. After Keene State was able to collect one out, senior Alex Sorenti-Burns (Sagamore Beach, MA) nailed a double with a line drive down the center on a full count bringing home Smith and Ausiello. A senior Zach Roberts (Northbridge, MA) single five pitches later, found Landry and Burns crossing home plate. An error on second base found runners on 2^nd and third, and an Anthony Iamarone (Providence, RI) hit by pitch resulted in the bases again loaded in Worcester's favor. Halliwell would again single in the game, sending Roberts back to the dugout with a run in his pocket. A second error in the inning, this time on the left fielder, on a hit by Tyler Smith, clears all but Smith from the bases and the Lancers up 11-1.

The lead was too much for Keene to overcome in the seven-inning game as first year Jack Pawlich (Rocky Hill, CT) pitched his way to the close in the bottom of the inning and win one for the Lancers Baseball on the day.

Junior Danny DiMassimo (Pittsfield, MA) pitched for 5.2 innings allowing only two hits, striking out six. Tyler Smith, Devin and Halliwell led the Lancers in game one with 2 runs apiece.

Worcester State moved into game two versus Keene State looking to extend their success in game one. Both teams remained scoreless through the opening two innings with both pitchers executing on the mound. The third inning saw all the scoring in the game with Keene State grabbing three runs off the Lancers. Worcester worked to answer the runs for the remainder of the game, but the Keene field defense executed when it mattered and kept the Lancers off the scoreboard.

First year Craig Barnes (Billerica, MA) pitched 5.1 innings for the Lancers, allowing only seven hits, striking out one. Scotti closed out the game with 1.2 innings of action, striking out two.