SALEM, Mass -- The #5 seed Buccaneers traveled to Salem State on Thursday morning to take on #4 Westfield State in the MASCAC First Round on Thursday. The Owls extended their winning streak over the Bucs in 2024 to four games with a 4-2 win, ending Maritime's season.

The Basics

Final: Owls 4, Buccaneers 2

Records: Westfield (26-14, 14-8)

               Maritime (17-21, 10-12)

On The Mound

Westfield: Ryan Lapierre (W, 9-0): 8 IP | 7 H | 2 R | 1 ER | 3 BB | 9 K

                 Joe Espinola (Sv, 4): 1 IP | 0 H | 0 R | 0 BB | 0 K

Maritime: Hunter Dean: 6 IP | 6 H | 2 R | 2 ER | 4 BB | 2 K

                Brenden Baiardi (L, 3-5): 2 IP | 2 H | 2 R | 2 ER | 1 BB | 2 K

Inside The Numbers

Maritime

• Grady Freeman had three hits in the game including his second home run of the season.
• Aj Pietrafesa notched two hits for the Bucs. Michael Logiudice and Damon White both had one hit. 
• Freeman had the only RBI in the game on his home run. White and Freeman each scored a run.
• Pietrafesa's two hits in the game brings him to 56 on the season, a new Buccaneers program record.

Westfield State

• Sean Clark and Robinson Guerrero Baez each had two hits. Sam Palmer, Justin Neidel, Nolan Florence, and Alex Martin all had one hit.
• Florence drove in two runs, Palmer and Guerrero Baez both drove in one. 
• Palmer had a home run and Florence had a double for the Owls in the win.
• Palmer, Neidel, Matt Linehan, and Martin all scored a run.
• Martin had the lone stolen base of the game.

How It Happened

The Buccaneers got on the board first in the top of the second on Freeman's solo home run to right field. Maritime led 1-0.

The Bucs held their 1-0 lead into the bottom of the fifth when the Owls got on the board and took the lead. With two runners on, Florence doubled to left center to bring in both runners and give Westfield a 2-1 lead after five.

In the top of the sixth, White got on base for the Bucs and scored thanks to a balk by Lapierre tying the game at 2-2.

Westfield went on to score in the bottom of the seventh taking the lead for good. Palmer homered to left field and the Owls led 3-2. 

In the bottom of the eighth, Westfield scored an insurance run on a Baez single, scoring the pinch runner, Linehan. The Owls led, 4-2.

Espinola came in for the save in the top of the ninth and sat the Bucs down in order to earn his fourth save of the season and move the Owls past the Buccaneers and on to the double-elimination portion of the MASCAC Playoffs.

The Buccaneers season comes to an end with Thursday's loss and they finish the season 17-21 overall, 10-12 in MASCAC play.