Worcester State 21, Fisher College 1
Worcester, MA --- Junior Paul Rodriguez (San Antonio, TX) went 3-for-3 with four runs and four RBIs to help propel Worcester State to a 21-1 triumph this evening over Fisher College in non league baseball action this afternoon at Assumption College. With the win the Lancers improve to 26-8-1 while the Falcons slip to 22-20.
All but one of the starting nine notched a hit as the Lancers hammered 18 hits.
Senior TJ Magnell (Leominster, MA), junior Corey McDonald (Hudson, MA), sophomore Tyler McElman (Marlboro, MA) and freshman Chris Creen (Worcester, MA/St. John’s) all recorded a pair of base knocks while Creen drove in four, McDonald crossed the plate four times and Creen along with Magnell finished with three runs apiece.
Third-year Reynaldo Nunez (Santiago, Dominican Republic) propelled Fisher as he went 2-for-4. The Falcons were held to just six hits for the entire game.
Sophomore Phil Recco (Concord, MA) hurled six shutout innings as he improved his season mark to 3-0. Recco fanned seven and yielded three hits while he walked one batter.
Worcester State went up 1-0 early on in the contest as Magnell reached on a leadoff bunt single before he moved to second on a throwing error by the shortstop as the defense failed to catch him stealing second. Magnell went to third on a ground out and he scored on an infield single by McDonald.
The Lancers then broke the game wide open as they batted around in the second. The eight-run frame was highlighted by a grand slam to right field by Creen and a two-run double by Rodriguez. The dinger was Creen’s fourth of the season.
The Blue and Gold would score four more in the third, five in the fourth and a trio of runs in the sixth. Freshman Shawn Trombley(Leominster, MA) and sophomore Ben Mullin (Burlington, MA) had the big hits as Trombley belted a two-run double in the fifth and Mullin tacked on a triple in the sixth that manufactured two runs.
Creen, McDonald and sophomore Devin Bussiere (S. Dennis, MA) pitched well in relief of Recco as they combined to allow three hits and one run. The trio struck out four and issued one walk.
Fisher scored their lone run off of Creen in the top of the seventh as Nunez led off the frame with a double. Nunez advanced to third on a ground out and then scored on a plated infield hit by freshman Denon Rushing (Palmdale, CA).
First-year Casey Reed (Ossipee, NH) only went 1 2/3 innings as he battled control issues. Reed came into tonight’s contest walking only six in 26 innings, but he walked four and gave up eight runs (seven earned) off of four hits while he struck out one batter. Reed is now 3-2 on the year.
After Reed departed seven more Falcons would be summoned out the bullpen. It wasn’t until junior Kevin Michael (Ipswich, MA) strung together 1 2/3 innings that he would team with senior Samuel Luciano (N. Andover, MA) and classmate Rob Mondello (Haverhill, MA) to pitch 3 2/3 shutout innings.
The Falcon pen combined for four walks while they also recorded 10 punch outs.
Magnell along with classmates Ryan LaPrade (Leominster, MA), Kevin Hayes (Medford, MA), Nick Caparell (N. Attleboro, MA), Joey Lucier (Brockton, MA) and Mike Borowiec (Spencer, MA) were honored in a brief pregame ceremony for their contributions as seniors to the Worcester State baseball team.
The Blue and Gold will close out their conference schedule with a key MASCAC matchup against Bridgewater State on Saturday as they come back to Assumption for a 12 PM doubleheader.
In earlier conference action, BSC split with Mass Maritime and Westfield State swept MCLA. The Owls (10-2 MASCAC) are now in first followed by Framingham State (9-3) while WSC and the Bears are tied for third at 8-4.
The top-seeded Fisher College opens up the double-elimination Sunrise Tournament at Frasier Field in Lynn on Friday when they entertain Vermont Tech at 12:30.