BRIDGEWATER, MA -- After winning the first game of the conference series on Patriot's Day in walk off fashion, the Bucs met the Bear in Bridgewater for the final two games of their three game series. Ties for first in the MASCAC going into Tuesday, Bridgewater squeaked out two wins, 4-3 and 8-7, to take sole possession of first in the Conference with six games to play and won the series two games to one.

Game One

The Basics

Final: Bears 4, Buccaneers 3

Records: Bridgewater (22-10, 12-2)

               Maritime (19-12, 11-3)

On The Mound

Bridgewater: Shane Handrahan (W, 4-0): 6 IP | 5 H | 3 R | 2 ER | 0 BB | 2 K

                      Tyler Dasilva-Medeiros (Sv, 5): 1 IP | 2 H | 0 R | 0 BB | 2 K

Maritime: Sam Huffman: 4.1 IP | 7 H | 3 R | 2 ER | 3 BB | 5 K 

                John Tropea (L, 0-3): 1.2 IP | 1 H | 1 R | 1 ER | 1 BB | 1 K

At The Plate

Maritime

• Alex Schlapak recorded two hits for the Bucs in game one. 
• Zach Sylvia, AJ Pietrafesa, Aidan Henderson, Frank Aten, and Chris Perito all had one hit in the loss.
• A.J. Luciano and Henderson each drove in a run.
• Pietrafesa, Henderson and Aten scored the Maritime runs.
• Perito hit a double as the only extra-base hit for the Bucs.

Bridgewater

• Scott Emerson and Joe Freshette each had three hits in the win.
• Kyle Suraci and Kevin Lindsay each had one hit.
• Freschette drove in two runs.
• Emerson, Jay Wladkowski, Dan Saraceno, and Shane Foley scored the four runs.
• Frechette hits a triple, the team's only extra-base hit.

How It Happened

Bridgwater took a lead in the bottom of the first innings on a Freshette single scoring Emerson and then on a double steal that saw Aten throw the ball away allowing Saraceno to score to make it 2-0 Bears.

It would take until the fifth inning before the Buccaneers broke up the shutout and got on the board on a Luciano sacrifice fly to center field to make it 2-1. Up a run, Bridgewater scored in the bottom of the fifth on a Freshette single, scoring Wladkowski.

Down two runs, Maritime answered immediately in the top of the sixth on an Henderson infield single and an error by the Bears. The Bucs late inning heroics were back as they tied the game at 3-3. In the bottom of the inning, the Bears took the lead back on an Emerson single to right. Foley scored on a Buccaneer error to give the hosts a 4-3 lead. 

Bridgewater's pitching shut down the Bucs offense in the top of the seventh to win the game and tie the season series at a game apiece.

Game Two

The Basics

Final: Bears 8, Buccaneers 7

Records: Bridgewater (23-10, 13-2)

               Maritime (19-13, 22-4)

On The Mound

Bridgewater: Cameron Breault (W, 2-2): 5 IP | 9 H | 5 R | 5 ER | 1 BB | 3 K

                     Tyler Dasilva-Medeiros (Sv, 6): 0.1 IP | 0 H | 0 R | 0 BB | 1 K

Maritime: Brady Parks (L, 0-3): 1.2 IP | 4 H | 6 R | 6 ER | 2 BB | 2 K

At The Plate

Maritime

• Of the team's 12 hits, Alex Schlapak, AJ Pietrafesa, John Tropea, and Michael Doyle each had two.
• Tropea drove in two runs.
• Seven different Buccaneers scored.
• Chris Perito drew the only walk of Bridgewater pitching.
• Schlapaks two hits were doubles. Tropea added a two-bagger as well.

Bridgewater

• Scott Emerson, Jay Wladowski, and Dan Saraceno each had two hits in the win.
• Jonathan O'Donnell drobe in three runs. Wladkowski and Saraceno each drove in two.
• Joe Frechette worked three walks in the game.
• Emerson and Saraceno each had a double.
• Emerson stole two bags; Wladkowski stole one.

How It Happened

Bridgewater took a big lead early in game two of the doubleheader scoring two runs in the bottom of the first and four more in the bottom of the second, including a two-run single from Wladkowski and a two-run double from Saraceno. 

Down 6-0, Maritime got on the board in the top of the third and controlled the scoring in the next three innings. The scored one in the third on a Shlapak double, then added two more in the fourth on a Doyle single and a Tucker Leslie sacrifice fly. In the fifth, they tacked on two more on a two RBI double to right center by Tropea.

In the bottom of the fifth frame, the Bears scored two on a two-run single from O'Donnell.

In the top of the sixth, the Buccaneers mounted a comeback scoring two in the inning on a Zach Sylvia sacrifice fly and a Pietrafesa single.

Their comeback attempt would fall short with the Bears winning the rubber match of the series, 8-7.

What's Next

The Buccaneers open a three-game conference series with Salem on Friday at Hendy Field beginning at 4pm.