Worcester, MA --- Behind a strong outing by junior Cruz Rosado (Clinton, MA) and a 3-for-4 performance at the plate by freshman JD Salinas (Fredericksburg, TX), Worcester State rolled to an 11-5 triumph over New England Regional Champion UMass Boston this afternoon in non-conference baseball action at Assumption's Rocheleau Field.
The Lancers improve their record to 9-5 on the season while the Beacons slip to 5-9. The game was originally scheduled to be played in Waltham, but the contest was moved to Worcester with UMass Boston as the home team.
For the third straight season, WSU has defeated UMass Boston as the Blue and Gold lead the all-time series 43-34-1. The Beacons earned a berth to last years College World Series after winning eight consecutive games in the LEC Tournament and New England regionals at Eastern Connecticut.
On the hill for WSU, Rosado (2-1) tossed six scoreless innings as he would end the contest with three strikeouts and no walks.
Salinas led the effort in the batting order as he tallied three hits – including a triple – scored two runs and plated two more from the number nine spot in the line-up. Sophomore Chris Creen (Worcester, MA) made three trips to home plate while senior Corey McDonald (Hudson, MA) drove in two and scored twice.
UMass Boston (5-9) junior Wilberto Sanjuro (Boston, MA/East Boston) and sophomore Nick Grassetti (Agawam, MA), who came in the game as a defensive substitution in the third inning, both recorded two hits apiece. Senior Dan Noonan (Westport, MA) also finished with two RBIs.
Worcester State opened the game with the quick 3-0 lead in the top of the first. The Blue and Gold would take advantage of an error in the outfield and score all three of their runs off of wild pitches as sophomore Dan Gambill (Lake Worth, FL) would struggle with his command on the mound.
WSU added to their advantage with two more in the second and a trio of runs in the fourth inning as the Lancers were highlighted by two sacrifice flies by McDonald and Salinas' RBI triple.
In the fifth, Worcester State scored another run on an error in the infield with the bases loaded and in the sixth, junior Kyle Wilson (Norwich, CT) plated McDonald with sacrifice fly.
But UMass Boston would break the shutout in a big way in the eighth as they put up a crooked number and scored all five of their runs in the bottom of the inning.
Junior Mike McCormack (Shelton, CT) started the rally with a single before senior Connor Reinfurt (Manchester, NH) walked and sophomore Christos Ferreira (Norwood, MA) was hit by a pitch to load the bases. McCormack came home on a wild pitch and then Noonan belted a two-run single through the left side of the infield.
Noonan would move to second on a solo base-knock by Sanjuro and come around to score on consecutive wild pitches. Sanjuro would come around to score the fifth run for the Beacons on an RBI double by sophomore Matt Consiglio (Southbury, CT).
With Consiglio at second, sophomore closer Shaun Slattery (Gardner, MA) was summoned and he promptly fanned his batter looking to end the frame.
After Salinas drove in sophomore Nick Bonofiglio (Worcester, MA/Holy Name) with an RBI single to cap off the games scoring in the top of the ninth, Slattery tossed a scoreless inning to end the game. Slattery now has 15 strikeouts in eight innings of work this season.
Gambill (1-1) had a tough start as he allowed eight runs (seven earned) in three-plus innings. Gambill gave up five hits, issued five free passes and tossed five errant pitches.
UMass Boston's bullpen held Worcester State to just three more runs on three hits for the remaining six innings of the contest. The Beacons finish with nine wild pitches as a team.
Should the weather hold up on Saturday, both teams are scheduled to open up their respective conference schedules on Saturday at 12 PM. Worcester State hosts Westfield State at Assumption while UMass Boston will head to UMass Dartmouth.