Worcester State 6, Salem State 1

Worcester State 6, Salem State 4

Game 1 --- Box Score

Game 2 --- Box Score

Salem, MA --- The Worcester State Lancers swept the Salem State Vikings 6-1, and 6-4 in Sunday afternoon's MASCAC double-header match-up at the Salem State College Baseball field.

Worcester State now stands at 5-1 in the MASCAC and improved to 20-5-1 overall. The Lancers are now tied in the conference with the Framingham State Rams for first place. WSC also has now won 20 games for the tenth time since 1998.

Salem State dropped to 1-5 in the conference and is now 11-14 overall.

The Lancers pitching staff, anchored by staff ace Joey Lucier (Brockton, MA) held the Salem State Vikings to one run in their 6-1 seven-inning defeat of the Vikings in game one.

Lucier earned his fifth win of the year. He allowed only one run on one hit with six strikeouts in five innings of work. 

Salem State Vikings junior starting pitcher Jeff Borges (Westport, MA) went the distance in his second loss of the season. Borges allowed six runs on six hits with four strikeouts.

Junior Johno Hinkell (N. Adams, MA) of the Lancers produced the first run of the game in the fourth inning with a sacrifice fly to left field that scored classmate Corey McDonald (Hudson, MA).

Viking first baseman Steve Mucci (Wallkill, NY) tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the fourth with his team-leading eighth homerun of the year.

In the top of the sixth inning Worcester State broke open a tight game and regained the lead with a two- run, two out bases loaded single to left field by sophomore Tyler McElman (Marlboro, MA). McElman finished 2-for-3 with two RBIs on the day.

Third-year Nick Fluegge (Ware, MA) sealed the fate of the ball game in the top of the seventh inning with a two-run blast over the left field fence to make it a 6-1 ballgame.

In game two, a three-run sixth inning sparked by senior Nick Caparell (N. Attleboro, MA)  gave the Lancers a 6-4 victory over the Vikings in the back-end of their doubleheader. Caparell's lead-off single in the sixth led to the first Lancer run of the inning. Caparell then crossed the plate on a Salem State error to tie the game at four runs. Four-year teamates Ryan LaPrade (Leominster, MA) and TJ Magnell (Leominster, MA) hit back-to-back RBI doubles to give the Lancers a 6-4 lead to end the top-half of the inning.

Senior right-hander Mike Borowiec (Spencer, MA) improved his record to 3-1 with his complete game six-inning effort. Borowiec allowed four runs, three of which were earned and fanned five Viking batters.

Sophomore Mario Padovanni (Lynn, MA) allowed five earned runs on eleven hits en route to only his second loss of the season in five starts.

The Lancers struck in the first inning when McDonald sent a Padovanni pitch over the left field fence with no outs and runners on the corners for a 3-0 lead.

The Vikings immediately answered back with two runs in the bottom of the inning. Third-year Ryan Kane (Nahant, MA) single to right field and scored sophomore Chris Cocci (Wakefiled, RI). Mucci who reached on a fielder's choice scored on a Perkins sacrifice fly to right that brought Salem State within one run at 3-2.

Third-year Evan Valcourt (Salisbury, MA) tied the game in the bottom of the fourth with a one-out singled that scored freshman Sam Perkins (Milford, MA) from third.

Mucci scored in the fifth inning on a passed ball that allowed the Vikings to take their first lead of the game, 4-3. Mucci finished the doubleheader going 4-for-7 with a homerun and an RBI.

Salem State's next match-up is a doubleheader on Monday against the Mass Maritime. The first pitch is at noon at the Salem State's Baseball Field. The Lancers travel to MCLA for a doubleheader at 1:00 PM.

Release Courtesy of Salem State Sports Information