WORCESTER, Mass.- The Worcester State University baseball team split a doubleheader with the Mass. Maritime Buccaneers in Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference action on Saturday afternoon at Lyons Diamond. The Lancers dropped game one, 6-5, bouncing back in game two to win 8-4.
With the split, Worcester State moves to 18-15 overall and 9-8 in MASCAC action. Mass. Maritime moves to 9-24 on the season and 6-11 in conference play.
Game 1- Mass. Maritime 6, Worcester State 5
Mass. Maritime came out with a quick lead when Jackson Simone (Seattle, Wash.) used the wind to his advantage sailing one right over the right field fence. Bats were quiet from there on out until the fourth inning when some noise by both teams were made.
Simone crossed home again when Dylan Sullo (Acushnet, Mass.) doubled down the left field line making the Buccaneers lead 2-0. Sam Allen (Springfield, Mass.) answered back with his own double in the bottom of the inning, which sent Keenan Kolanda (Sterling, Mass.) home.
The fifth inning put three more runs on the board for the Lancers. The first two runs came on a sacrifice fly from Michael Ferrara (Easton, Mass.) sending Ben Palatino (Hudson, Mass.) and Cooper Bigelow (Leominster, Mass.) home. A miscue from the Buccaneers later in the inning drove in Kevin Larkin (Rocky Hill, Conn.) when Kolanda safely reached first, putting the Lancers up 4-2.
In the bottom of the sixth Ferrara hit a hard single to center field allowing Bigelow to score advancing the Lancer lead to 5-2. The top seventh was trouble when Angus McNeil (Middleton, Mass.) hit a three-run home run high over the right center field wall tying the game.
A passed ball in the top of the ninth inning allowed Ben Paine (Dartmouth, Mass.) to cross the plate ending the extra innings battle between the two teams.
Game 2- Worcester State 8, Mass. Maritime 4
Both teams came out strong from their break after the first game. The Buccaneers were first up on the board when a string of plays sent Paul Sances (Middleboro, Mass.) home to put them up 1-0 early.
The Lancers didn't wait to answer back this game and Bigelow started the inning off with a single and quick stolen base putting him in scoring position. A couple of walks and a Ferrara double later the Lancers were up 2-1. Pat Galvin (Shrewsbury, Mass.) and Kolanda both doubled to add to the team efforts to end the inning up 7-1.
The Lancers weren't done yet and in the top of the second Jake Breton (Wilbraham, Mass.) doubled to left field allowing Palatino to cross home safely. The Lancers were up 8-1.
Mass. Maritime tried to chip away at the Lancer lead throughout the rest of the game. Nick Haley (Hanson, Mass.), Paine, and a Sullo home run cut the deficit to 8-4, but proved unable to catch the strong first inning from the Lancers.
The Lancers head to Buzzards Bay on Monday to finish the series against Mass. Maritime. The First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.
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