BucBall Loses First Game of Three-Game Series with Owls

BUZZARDS BAY, Mass – The Buccaneers hosted Westfield State in the first game of their three-game, pre-Easter MASCAC series on Thursday night on Taylor's Point. The Bucs couldn't get anything going offensively in the game, falling to Westfield, 18-5, before heading to Westfield for a conference doubleheader tomorrow.

How It Happened

Westfield scored twice in the top of the first inning on a Brett Dooley (Cohasset, Mass) single up the middle.

In the top of the second, the Owls extended their lead to 6-0, scoring four, two on a Colin Dunn (Westfield, Mass) double. The next two runs each scored on sacrifice flies.

After holding WSU to no runs in the third, the Buccaneers allowed five Owl runs in the fourth, capped off by an Alex Benevides (Fall River, Mass) home run over the center field fence. Maritime got on the board in the bottom of the fourth frame on a bases loaded walk of AJ Luciano (Lynn, Mass).

Up 11-1, Westfield scored again in the top of the fifth and twice in the top of the sixth on a Casey Boudreau (Shrewsbury, Mass) double down the left field line with the bases loaded. It would have been three runs but the runner at first was called out at third base on an appeal.

With the score 14-1 and both teams emptying their benches, the Buccaneers pinch hit Joe Sanchez (Dracut, Mass) in the bottom of the seventh. With a runner on base, Sanchez hit his first career home run over the right center field fence to cut the score to 14-3.

In the top of the eighth, Westfield scored three more runs, on a bases loaded walk, a fielder's choice and a wild pitch. Maritime answered with two runs of their own in the bottom half of the innings, a bases loaded walk of Bobby Beane (Hingham, Mass) and an infield single by Marley Dembitzki (North Dartmouth, Mass).

Down 13, 18-5, in the bottom of the ninth, the Buccaneers loaded the bases with no outs but were unable to bring any runs across, grounding in to a double play to end the first game of the three-game MASCAC series, 18-5, in favor of Westfield State.

Inside The Numbers

On The Mound

Mass Maritime: Mason Ashburn (East Freetown, Mass) (L, 2-6): 1.1 IP | 2 H | 6 R | 6 ER | 5 BB | 2 K

Westfield State: John Gegetskas (Windsor, Conn) (W, 4-2): 6 IP | 3 H | 1 R | 1 ER | 3 BB | 10 K

At The Plate

Maritime went 11-for-36 at the plate. Ben Paine (Dartmouth, Mass) had three of the 11 hits, including a double.

In a pinch hit situation, Sanchez hit his first career home run, driving in two runs in the process.

Angus McNeil (Middleton, Mass) scored two of the five Buc runs.

Maritime walked seven times, struck out on 12 occasions and left 11 runners on base.

Westfield also went 11-for-36 at the plate. Boudreau, Dunn and Jacob Butler (Westfield, Mass) all had two hits in the game. Dun drove in a game-high three runs for Westfield.

The Owls walked 12 times, struck out 11 times and left seven runners on base.

All totaled, both teams used 46 players in the game; 37 fielders, nine pitchers. Westfield used 21 fielders and five pitchers. Maritime used 16 fielders and 5 pitchers.

Up Next: These same two teams meet tomorrow, Friday, April 19^th, for the final two games of their MASCAC series in a doubleheader in Westfield, Mass. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 1:15pm.