Auburndale, FL --- Junior David Ruggiero (Peabody, MA) registered four hits on the afternoon with a triple, a double and two RBIs as Worcester State was swept, 5-3 and 9-3, in non-conference baseball action on Sunday afternoon at the Lake Myrtle Complex.
In the opener for the Lancers (3-3), Ruggiero chipped in with a 2-for-3 performance at the plate while classmate Zach George (Attleboro, MA) added two base-knocks in the setback.
Down 4-0 in entering the bottom of the third, Ruggiero sparked the Blue and Gold who put up a three-spot to trail by just one run.
With the bases juiced freshman Adam Barry (Auburn, MA) started the rally by reaching on a fielder's choice to set-up runners on the corners. That set the stage for a two-run triple by Ruggiero, who represented the tying run on base.
But William Paterson (3-1) senior Josh Jenson (W. Milford, NJ) jammed the next batter at the plate to end the threat on a foul fly.
The score stayed right where it was until the Pioneers notched an insurance run in the top of the fifth for the 5-3 contest.
Jenson retired six of the next seven until he ran into trouble in the bottom of the sixth. After putting senior Joe Carlier (Rockland, MA) and classmate Rob MacDonald (Waltham, MA) into scoring position with a sacrifice, Jenson got out of it with a groundout.
Jenson completed the contest with a 1-2-3 seventh and finished with 122 pitches. He allowed six hits on three earned runs to go with six strikeouts.
Junior Jared Kuzio (Franklin, MA) was dealt the loss for the Lancers. Kuzio (0-1) went 6 2/3 innings yielding five earned runs to go with 11 hits and two walks.
Kuzio was relieved by third-year teammate Michael Ivas (Worcester, MA/Holy Name) who picked a man off base in the top of the seventh.
William Paterson built up the 6-0 margin over the first four innings of play until the Lancers tagged senior Jake Menzo (Ramsey, NJ) for two scores in the top of the sixth. Ruggerio and sophomore Steve Wallace (Auburn, MA) both plated runs to help WSU trail by four.
The Pioneers responded in the bottom half of the same frame and registered a trio of runs to open up a 9-2 contest.
In the top of the seventh, the Blue and Gold did not go away quietly as they loaded the bases with two men down. Carlier was plunked to drive in senior Dan Ubele (Tyngsboro, MA) from third, but sophomore reliever Mike Sasso (W. Orange, NJ) fanned MacDonald, who was pinch-hitting, to complete the sweep.
Ruggiero and freshman Jake Ryan (Whitinsvile, MA) each contributed two base-knocks apiece for the Lancers in the second game while Wallace belted a two-out triple to the deep part of right centerfield to help WSU get something going in the top of the second.
Freshman Andrew Wells (Methuen, MA) evened out his record on the year to 1-1 absorbing the setback. Wells went the first four innings giving up six runs (four earned) on nine hits in addition to four punch outs and three free passes.
Worcester State takes a day off before they play a single nine-inning affair against Rutgers-Camden on Tuesday at the Frostproof Baseball Complex at 6:30 PM.
You can follow the Worcester State Lancers on Facebook and Twitter