Worcester, MA --- Senior teammates Kris Doyle (Millbury, MA) and Ben Libuda (Auburn, MA) both went the distance on the mound as they helped propel Worcester State in a 3-2 and 2-1 sweep over Bridgewater State in MASCAC baseball action this afternoon at the Kevin Lyons Baseball Diamond.
With the two wins, the Lancers improve to 12-10 overall (3-1 MASCAC) while the Bears fall to 4-11 and 1-4 against conference opponents.
In the opener, junior Scott O'Brien (E. Bridgewater, MA) drove in classmate Travis Ritchie (Taunton, MA) to put the visitors up 1-0 in the top of the fourth. Ritche reached second on a wild pitch and he advanced to third on a solo hit by junior Keaghan Austin-MacInnis (Lakeville, MA).
The score remained the same until senior Cody Osburn (Sacramento, CA) plated in sophomore Jake Ryan (Whitinsville, MA) for the equalizer and then sophomore Dan McGuill (E. Longmeadow, MA) drew a bases-loaded walk to put the hosts on top 2-1 in the bottom of the sixth.
Bridgewater State answered by scoring the game-tying run with two men down in the very next frame. After senior Sean Brooks (Braintree, MA) doubled to jump start the offense, junior Jacob Souza (Acushnet, MA) followed with a two-bagger, which scored Brooks.
Worcester State, however, had the last laugh as the Lancers ended the contest in a walk-off victory. As a man on stood on every base, Osburn stepped up to the plate and he delivered a fielder's choice RBI as the Bears couldn't turn the double play to get out of the frame unscathed.
Doyle (2-2) went the distance for the fourth times in as many starts. He scattered seven hits while allowing two earned runs to go with one walk and eight strikeouts.
BSU junior Brian Wiksten (Middleboro, MA) was dealt the setback in relief. He got out of a bases-loaded jam with a strikeout looking to end the sixth, but couldn't match the effort in the last of the seventh.
There were no multi-hitters in the first game as both teams logged seven base-knocks each.
Libuda (4-1) was dominant in the nightcap for the Lancers. He surrendered six hits, one earned run, two walks while ringing up five on strikes.
Senior Zach George (Attleboro, MA) also went 3-for-3 to help lead the charge in the finale, with one run and an RBI. He snapped a scoreless game in the bottom of the fourth by doubling to lead off the frame before he scampered home on a single to left field by junior Steve Wallace (Auburn, MA).
George gave the Lancers a 2-0 advantage in the very next frame by inducing a run producing single that brought in sophomore Mike Powers (Weymouth, MA).
The tally for WSU loomed large in the top of the sixth when the Bears broke the shutout bid by Libuda.
Following a walk by MacInnis and a double by junior Nick White (Bellingham, MA), Bridgewater State pushed across one run on a sacrifice fly by sophomore Billy Mitchell (Walpole MA). With the tying run at second, Libuda ended the frame by jamming the next batter at the plate for an inning ending pop-up.
The visitors also had freshman Drew Gentile (Lynn, MA) on second as one out read on the scoreboard, but, Libuda dug deep into his arsenal as he induced a pair of grounders back in the direction of the mound to end the game to mark the fourth time he has gone the distance on the campaign.
Senior Nicholas Ciuffo (S. Easton, MA) absorbed the loss for the BSU in the second game. Ciuffo (1-1) allowed two earned runs one walk to go with two strikeouts and one wild pitch.
It was even in the hitting column for both squads, who had six base-knocks each as the Bears were led by Ritchie and Gentile both chipped in with two safeties each
Both squads will play again tomorrow at 1 o'clock. Worcester State hosts Becker while Bridgewater State entertains Westfield State in a make-up from a MASCAC doubleheader last Wednesday.
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