MASSACHUSETTS MARITIME BASEBALL

First Round – 2013 MASCAC Championships

Thursday, May 2, 2013

Hagan Field, Westfield, Mass.

FINAL:                    WESTFIELD STATE 8, MASSACHUSETTS MARITIME 3

WESTFIELD, Mass. --  Freshmen Tyler Adams (West Barnstable, Mass.) and Matt Ferrelli (Milford, Mass.) combined for six hits and four RBI to lead third-seeded Westfield State to an 8-3 victory over sixth-seeded Massachusetts Maritime in opening round play of the 2013 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference Baseball Championships Thursday afternoon at Hagan Field.

The Owls, now 17-19 on the season, advance to take on second-seeded Framingham State in second round play on Friday afternoon at Bowditch Field in Framingham, Mass. beginning at 4:00 p.m., as the tournament now moves into a double elimination format.  The visiting Buccaneers finish the season at 11-19 overall and were making their first MASCAC playoff appearance in school history under 41-year Head Coach Bob Corradi.

Westfield State jumped out to a 2-0 advantage in its first at-bat, as after sophomore Dan Rokitowski (Wappingers Falls, N.Y.) led off with a triple and scored on an RBI single by senior Kevin Greene (Worcester, Mass.), Ferrelli plated the second tally with a run-scoring single.  Massachusetts Maritime got a run back in the top of the second when freshman Everett Walsh (Marstons Mills, Mass.) singled, advanced to second on a walk and scored on an RBI groundout off the bat of sophomore Zacary Cooney (East Bridgewater, Mass.), and the score remained that way until the bottom of the sixth when Owl senior Andrew Mederios (Acushnet, Mass.) reached on an infield single, advanced to second on a walk to Ferrelli and scored on an infield single by Adams to extend the hosts’ edge to 3-1.

Ferrelli’s capped a decisive four-run seventh inning rally that helped Westfield State ice its triumph, as his one-out, two-run single followed a throwing error and a passed ball that enabled the Owls to extend their advantage to 7-1.  The Buccaneers drew to within four in the top of the eighth after senior Zachary Sullivan (Barnstable, Mass.) drew a bases-loaded walk and Walsh added a run-scoring fielder’s choice, but the hosts closed out the scoring in the bottom of the frame when Adams reached on a bunt single, advanced to second on a throwing error and scored on a second miscue to account for the final margin.

Adams was a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate in the victory for Westfield State, as the Owls rapped out 11 hits on the afternoon in support of sophomore Peter Cassidy (Bluffton, S.C.), who went the distance and fanned four to pick up his third win of the season.  Sullivan and junior Matt Pelletier (Bradford, Mass.) each had two hits as part of an eight-hit attack in the setback for Massachusetts Maritime, which also received singles from senior Tyler Genereux (Duxbury, Mass.), junior Bob Lee (Braintree, Mass.) and sophomore Bobby Rosano (North Reading, Mass.).  Junior Keith Sanchez (Monroe Township, N.J.) suffered the setback on the mound for the Buccaneers, allowing seven hits and striking out six in falling to 2-4 on the season.

“We had some early chances, but we mishandled a couple of plays that allowed them to get extra at-bats, especially in the seventh inning,” Corradi said after the game.  “Give Westfield credit for taking advantage and for getting the big hits when they needed them, but today’s result doesn’t take anything away from the hard work that our guys put in every day.  Getting to the post-season is always our goal, and we accomplished just that.  I’m especially proud of my seniors and looking forward to the future.”