MASSACHUSETTS MARITIME BASEBALL

Saturday, April 23, 2016

Bowditch Field, Framingham, Mass.

GAME #1 FINAL:          MASSACHUSETTS MARITIME 9, FRAMINGHAM STATE 6

GAME #2 FINAL:          MASSACHUSETTS MARITIME 12, FRAMINGHAM STATE 7

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. --  Sophomore Connor Kennedy (West Barnstable, Mass.) rapped out six hits, while fellow sophomore Logan Sullo (Acushnet, Mass.) drove in five runs as Massachusetts Maritime remained tied for the top spot in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference baseball standings by sweeping a league doubleheader from Framingham State Saturday afternoon by scores of 9-6 in the opener and 12-7 in the nightcap in games played at Bowditch Field.

The visiting Buccaneers (17-11, 9-1 MASCAC) jumped out to a 2-0 first inning lead in the opener on an RBI groundout by junior Jake Petruzzelli (Abington, Mass.) and a fielder’s choice, but the host Rams (10-19, 5-5 MASCAC) got a run back in the bottom of the frame on an error and evened matters in the third on senior Jake Wardwell’s (Hudson, Mass.) run-scoring groundout.  Framingham State grabbed a 3-2 fourth inning edge on senior RJ Gray’s (Lowell, Mass.) RBI single, but Massachusetts Maritime responded with a seven-run fifth inning rally to take control of the lid-lifter, as a three-run homer by Sullo (his fourth of the spring) and a two-run single off the bat of Connor Kennedy sandwiched a sacrifice fly by senior Everett Walsh (Marstons Mills, Mass.) and an error that gave the visitors a 9-3 cushion.  The hosts crept back to within three in their final at-bat of the opener on RBI singles by senior Jon Chapman (Waltham, Mass.) and junior Ryan Wardwell (Hudson, Mass.) that were followed by Jake Wardwell’s sacrifice fly, but that was close as the Rams would come after leaving the potential tying run in the on-deck circle.

Connor Kennedy added a double to join Sullo, Petruzzelli and sophomore Cobie Gerbis (Holmes Beach, Fla.) with two hits each as part of an 11-hit attack for the Buccaneers in support of senior Alex Rozak (Plymouth, Mass.), who allowed a pair of earned runs and struck out three over the first four innings of action to improve to 3-4 on the spring.  Senior Kyle Kennedy (Woodbury, Conn.) earned his fourth save of the season by working the final three frames for the visitors, as he allowed a pair of earned runs in the seventh and fanned four along the way.  Gray, Chapman and Ryan Wardwell each had two hits as part of a nine-hit opening game attack for the Rams, as sophomore Al Wallach (Nahant, Mass.) allowed four earned runs and struck out two in falling to 1-3 on the spring.

Massachusetts Maritime tallied twice in its first at-bat of the nightcap on Petruzzelli’s fielder’s choice and an error, and the Buccaneers plated single runs in the third and fourth frames on Petruzzelli’s RBI double and a run-scoring single by Connor Kennedy to extend that margin to 4-0.  Framingham State evened matters with one swing of the bat in the bottom of the fifth, as after a walk and two singles loaded the bases, Chapman belted a grand slam to left for his seventh homer of the season to knot matters at 4-4.  The visitors regained control of the second contest with a pair of four-run rallies in the final two innings of play, as after Connor Kennedy scored on a wild pitch, a two-run double by Gerbis and an RBI single by Walsh gave Massachusetts Maritime an 8-4 lead in the sixth.  Sullo plated two more with a single before scoring on a wild pitch in the top of the seventh that helped stake the Buccaneers to a 12-4 advantage, and the Rams accounted for the final score with three runs in their last at-bat after Ryan Wardwell rapped out an RBI double and junior Manny Powers (Malden, Mass.) added a two-run single.

Connor Kennedy collected four of the visitors’ 14 hits in the nightcap, while Gerbis added three hits to finish with five in the twinbill for the winners.  Walsh and sophomore Billy Keane (Braintree, Mass.) each added a pair of hits for Massachusetts Maritime in support of junior Daniel Avery (Milford, Mass.), who went the distance and struck out five to pick up his fourth victory in five decisions on the season and improve to 3-0 in conference play.  Gray, Chapman and Powers each had two hits as part of a 10-hit second game attack for Framingham State, as senior Dillon Corliss (Winterport, Maine) allowed a pair of earned runs and fanned three over 5 2/3 innings to fall to 3-3 on the spring.

Massachusetts Maritime, which shares first place in the league standings with Salem State, heads to Bridgewater, Mass. on Tuesday afternoon to take on Bridgewater State in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader beginning at 2:00 p.m., while Framingham State travels to Waltham, Mass. on Sunday afternoon for a non-league outing with Brandeis that begins at Noon.

(Photo Credit:  Frank Poulin)