Worcester State 8, Westfield State 5

Westfield State 4, Worcester State 3

Game 1 --- Box Score  

Championship Game  --- Box Score  

Worcester, MA --- Fourth seeded Westfield State junior Mike Trachtenburg (Newton, MA-CF) crossed the plate and broke a 3-3 tie in the sixth while junior Josh Perches (Albany, NY) along with senior Phil Towne (Franklin, MA) combined for four innings of two-hit relief to help lead the Owls to a 4-3 triumph over #1 Worcester State and in the process take home the 2009 MASCAC Baseball Tournament Championship.

Westfield State (23-15) wins their second tournament crown in the last three years and they have earned the conference's automatic bid into the NCAA Division III Baseball Tournament. The Lancers (29-14) forced the second elimination game when they won the afternoon contest 8-5.

In the first game, senior Matt Hart (N. Easton, MA-CF) and sophomore Nick Fluegge (Ware, MA-1B) helped spot the Lancers a 3-0 lead after five frames as Hart scored on wild pitches in the first and third innings while Fluegge jacked a solo homer in the fifth.

But the Owls eventually tied the score when they notched a run in the bottom of the fifth on a run producing single by junior Ben Campbell (Easthampton, MA-DH/1B) and on a two-run homer in the seventh by classmate Kevin Lyons (Braintree, MA-RF).

After sophomore starter Sean Keane (Brockton, MA) tossed a 1-2-3 eighth, Westfield State grabbed the 5-3 lead as they took advantage of a pair of miscues. With runners on first and third, junior Ben Wagner (Cumberland, RI-SS) hit a double-play to the second baseman that was immediately handed off to the shortstop, but the runner slid into second with a hard slide that made the throw to first go wide and it allowed the go-ahead run cross home from third.

On the very next play, Wagner scored on a misplayed ball in the outfield as the Owls added an insurance run to end the inning.

But the Lancers would stage a four-run rally in the top of the ninth to take control of the game as the scoring was highlighted by a lead-off homer by Hart and a bases-clearing double by sophomore Shane Coakley (Spencer, MA-DH).

Junior Joey Lucier (Brockton, MA) then came in for the bottom of the inning and recorded his second save of the year with a perfect frame. Senior Pat Good (Hull, MA) improved his record to 6-1 with the win while junior David Glass (Pittsfield, MA) absorbed the setback for blowing the save as he was tagged for all four runs in the ninth.

Sophomore David Keane (Brockton, MA) was solid for the Owls as he threw eight innings allowing four runs on seven hits. Keane also helped preserve the bullpen for the second game as he struck out seven and walked two.

In the elimination game, Westfield State opened the scoring as Campbell plated Wagner as they took advantage of a lead-off error. Wagner reached on an infield miscue, moved to second on a ground out and scored on a single through the left side.

After that the game stayed with the Owls clinging to a 1-0 lead until the fifth inning. In that span, Westfield State left three runners on base and two in scoring position while the Lancers stranded four at the plate which included two at third base in the first and third innings.

Westfield State finally tacked on some breathing room when Campbell and freshman Matt Kelly (Weymouth, MA-3B) registered back-to-back RBIs to bring the lead to 3-0.

But the advantage was short-lived as Worcester State responded to knot the game up 3-3 in the bottom of the frame. Junior Ryan LaPrade (Leominster, MA-2B) hit a solo homer for his first of the season and then Fluegge hammered a two-run single for the equalizing runs.

That set the stage for the Owls to take the lead back in the top of the sixth. Trachtenburg led off the frame with a walk and he stole second and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt. With two outs, Wagner drove Trachtenburg in as Westfield State took the lead for good.

Perches and Towne then combined to set down 10 of the last 13 Worcester State batters to help shut down the Lancers and keep them off the board. The pair also stranded a two in scoring position, which included an opportunity in the bottom of the ninth, while they also fanned four.

Senior Steve Sullivan (Quincy, MA) improved to 2-2 as he earned the winning decision in relief when he came into the game in the fifth. Towne also nailed down his second save of the season for hurling the last two innings.

Freshman Tyler Metcalf (Bellingham, MA) dropped to 4-1 with the loss after he allowed the lead-off walk, which eventually scored, in the sixth inning. Metcalf threw five innings allowing four runs (three earned) on eight hits while he struck out five and walked three.

The Owls were paced by Wagner who went 5-for-10 on the afternoon with three runs scored while Campbell went 4-for-9 with three plated runs. Freshman Alex Xiarhos (Yarmouthport, MA-RF) also tallied three hits, which included a pinch-hit in the first game.

Hart went 5-for-9 as he crossed the plate four times while he hurled two scoreless frames in the eighth and ninth inning of the second contest. Fluegge also added three hits with three RBIs.

Worcester State will take on the GNAC champion Suffolk on Tuesday in Boston at 4 PM. The Lancers also will await word on a possible ECAC Tournament bid on selection Monday.