Worcester State 14, Becker 2
Worcester, MA --- Senior Matt Hart (N. Easton, MA-CF) went 4-for-6 with a homer, three runs scored and five RBIs as he helped propel Worcester State to a 14-2 victory this afternoon over Becker College in non conference baseball action at Tivnan Field.
Winners of 18 out of their last 19 games and six straight, the Lancers improve to 24-10 on the season while the Hawks slip to 12-10-1 with the loss.
Freshman Jake Sanderski (Millbury, MA-LF) and junior Nick Caparell (N. Attleboro, MA) each notched three hits while junior Nick Dortona (Malden, MA-3B) and sophomore Corey Abbascia (Shrewsbury, MA) tallied two apiece for WSC. Sanderski scored three runs while Dortona plated three as well.
First-year Joe Corey (Billerica, MA-CF) was the lone standout for the Hawks as crossed the plate for both of their runs.
Becker got on the board first as they scored a run in the top of the first as Corey came home after the catcher threw a ball into left field after he swiped third. Corey had led off the inning with a double.
The Lancers answered as they tied the score on a sacrifice fly by sophomore Shane Coakley (Spencer, MA-DH).
After a perfect second inning freshman Tyler Metcalf (Bellingham, MA) was outstanding as he set down 10 of the next 13 batters he faced before he gave way to the bullpen in the sixth.
The offense for Worcester State erupted for nine runs over the next three innings as the Lancers took a commanding 10-1 lead. The scoring was highlighted by a two-run double by Hart and a two-run single by Dortona in the second and a pair of sacrifice flies by Dortona in the third and Sanderski in the fourth.
Senior Andy Cunningham (Leicester, MA), freshman Kyle St. Thomas (Bridgewater, MA) and junior Kevin Hayes (Medford, MA) each combined for a solid three innings of relief as they allowed just one runner to reach base during that stretch.
Senior Aaron Sayad (Chicago, IL) stopped the bleeding for the Hawks as he hurled a scoreless fifth and sixth before Hart smashed his MASCAC-leading 12th dinger of the year for a three-run homer in the seventh. Despite allowing the home run, he was effective over his last four innings as he fanned five batters.
Ahead 13-1 Worcester State tacked on another run in the bottom of the eighth when Caparell scored on a miscue in the infield.
The Hawks made things interesting in the bottom of the ninth as they took advantage of a bases-loaded situation when they walked in a run, but that was all they came away with.
Metcalf (4-0) recorded the win as he scattered three hits while allowing just one run to go along with five strikeouts. Senior Ben Markle (Medfield, MA) was tagged for the loss as he dropped to 0-1 with the setback.
Worcester State will travel to Bridgewater State on Saturday at 2 PM as they close out MASCAC play before they head to Colby-Sawyer on Sunday for a noontime game.
Becker will head to Southern Vermont in a key NECC double header to decide who will win the regular season championship before they venture to Bridgewater State for a twinbill on Sunday. The first pitch in both games will happen at 12 PM.