Worcester State 19, Albertus Magnus 8
Worcester, MA --- Sophomore Shane Coakley (Spencer, MA-DH) jacked a pair of home runs as he finished with five RBIs while sophomore Bob DeVito (Webster, MA) picked up his second win of the season as Worcester State defeated Albertus Magnus, 19-8, this afternoon at Logan Field.
The Lancers (6-7) 17 hit attack was packed by sophomore Corey Abbascia (Shrewsbury, MA-OF) who went 4-for-5 with four runs scored while junior's TJ Magnell (Leominster, MA-3B) and Nick Caparell (N. Attleboro, MA-OF) along with second-year Ryan Raleigh (Cranston, RI-SS) each tallied three hits apiece. Magnell plated five runs while Raleigh and junior Nick Fluegge (Ware, MA-1B) crossed the plate three times.
The 19 runs scored in the contest is the highest output of the season and the most they have scored since they defeated WPI last year, 19-3, on March 27.
Junior John Stavola (Berlin, CT-DH) paced the Falcons (0-8) going 1-for-2 with two RBIs while freshman Chris Dady (East Haven, CT-OF) and senior Chris Noske (South Windsor, CT-OF) each notched a pair of runs.
Albertus Magnus led off the top of the first with a pair of runs as they took advantage of a couple of miscues in the field when Dady reached on an error in the infield and later scored on a throwing error by the catcher after he stole third base. Stavola then put the Falcons up 2-0 with an RBI single.
Worcester State responded tying the game up 2-2 scoring all of their runs with two outs. Fluegge drove in Caparell who reached on a double and then Fluegge crossed the plate on a miscue in the infield.
Sophomore Robert Bengivengo (Oxford, CT-SS) made it 3-2 with a run producing single before the Lancers responded and took the lead for good with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second. After Abbascia doubled to start the inning, Raleigh walked and senior Matt Hart (N. Easton, MA-OF) got hit by a pitch to load the bases, Magnell tied it on a sacrifice fly. Caparell then singled in Raleigh for the go-ahead run.
After DeVito gave up a run in the second inning he settled into a groove retiring 14 of the next 16 batters which included him striking out the side in the fifth. DeVito would finish throwing seven innings giving up just four runs (one earned) on three hits while he fanned seven and walked two batters.
The Lancers would break the game open scoring 12 runs in the games middle innings. WSC scored five in the bottom of the third as they made the Falcons pay for a pair of errors when Coakley belted a three-run homer in the frame. After a two-run fifth, the Blue and Gold scored five more in the sixth highlighted a two run homer by Coakley, his second of the season.
With Worcester State leading 19-4, Albertus Magnus touched the WSC relief corps with four runs over the last two innings as they capitalized on errors in each frame.
Junior Brendan Hickey (Salisbury, CT) was tagged for his first loss of the year as he tossed five innings giving up 13 runs (eight earned) on 10 hits while he walked six and did not record a strikeout.
Head Coach Dirk Baker goes for win number 300 tomorrow against WPI at 3:30 before they face off against Mass Maritime for the squads first MASCAC doubleheader on Saturday. Albertus Magnus travels to Mitchell tomorrow for a 3 PM contest.