Petruzzelli, Sances are a hit for Mass. Maritime

April 27, 2016

By Jim Fenton, Brockton Enterprise

Two area players are helping the Massachusetts Maritime Academy baseball team contend for a second straight Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference title.

Junior second baseman Jake Petruzzelli of Abington and freshman utility player Paul Sances of Middleboro have contributed to the Buccaneers’ 9-1 start in the MASCAC.

The two will be returning close to home this afternoon when Mass. Maritime (17-11) plays a doubleheader at Bridgewater State University for games that were rained out Tuesday.

Petruzzelli, a South Shore Vocational graduate, is fourth on the team with a .366 batting average while starting all 27 games.

He is second on the team with 34 hits, including eight doubles to tie for the team lead, with 13 RBI, and is hitting in the cleanup spot.

Petruzzelli is second in the MASCAC with a .500 batting average in 10 conference games.

“The more pressure spots we put him in, it seems like the better he does,’’ said Buccaneers coach Mike Kelley, whose team is tied for first place with Salem State. “He’s really embraced a pressure spot. He’s got good gap power.’’

Petruzzelli played 28 games as a sophomore when Mass. Maritime shared the conference title with Salem State and Worcester State at 10-4.

“Defensively, he’s a solid second baseman,’’ said Kelley. “He has really solidified that second base spot for us the last two years.’’

Sances, a left fielder on the Middleboro High team that won the Division 2 state championship last spring, is hitting .283.

He has appeared in 22 games, making 20 starts, and has three doubles, a triple and 11 RBI.

Sances led Mass. Maritime’s football team with five interceptions as a cornerback last fall.

“Paul is going to be a special player here,’’ said Kelley. “We didn’t see him all fall because he was playing football and we really didn’t know what he was going to do this year.

“He came right out of the gates swinging the bat and we needed to find a spot in the lineup for him.’’

Sances has played the outfield and infield in addition to being a DH for the Buccaneers.

“He’s basically our Brock Holt,’’ said Kelley. “He’s moved around.’’

Sances was the MASCAC rookie of the week earlier this month after hitting .417 with two doubles.

“He worked all winter,’’ said Kelley. “He was a pleasant surprise for us.’’