Westfield, MA --- Westfield State senior Roman Mondalto (Amesbury, MA) fired a one-hit shutout and junior Andrew Medeiros (Acushnet, MA) drove in five runs, including both game-winning hits, to lead Westfield State to a, 1-0 and 6-1, sweep of Worcester State on the opening weekend of MASCAC play.
Mondalto allowed just a fifth-inning single in his near masterpiece. Throwing strictly fastballs and cutters, he struck out three and retired 12 Lancers via groundouts. He would walk three and plunk a pair of batters, but the crafty lefty picked off two batters attempting to steal second base and got a 4-3 double play to end the seven-inning game.
Westfield State (9-8, 2-0 MASCAC) scored its lone run in the fourth inning. Senior Josh Blair (Westfield, MA) began the inning by reaching safely on an infield hit and advancing to second on a throwing error by the third baseman. Medeiros then belted an RBI double to left for the games only run.
Junior Nick Bonofiglio (Worcester, MA/Holy Name) was the tough-luck loser in the opener. Bonofiglio (2-2) scattered seven hits and finished with two strikeouts while he walked no one.
Freshman Jeff Bolio (Oxford, MA) collected the only hit of the game for Worcester State to lead off the fifth while Blair was 2-for-3 for the Owls. Mondalto improved his mark on the season to 2-0.
Medeiros delivered the game-winning hit in the second inning of the nightcap when he blasted a three-run homer over the left-center field fence.
The Owls made it 4-0 in the third inning when Kevin Greene doubled, advanced to third on a groundout, and scored on a Blair double. Westfield State tacked on its final two runs in the fifth on two-out RBI singles by Medeiros and freshman Nick Champeau (Southbridge, MA).
Worcester State's (4-15, 0-2 MASCAC) lone run came in the fifth and it was unearned as first-year pitcher Mike Molta (Nantucket, MA) threw the ball into centerfield on a failed pickoff attempt at third base with the bases loaded and two outs.
Molta (2-1) hurled six strong innings, allowing five hits and a walk and fanning five.
Junior Alex Teal (Malden, MA) suffered the setback for the Blue and Gold. Teal (2-3) went the distance allowing six earned runs on nine hits to go with one walk and five punch outs.
The Owls had nine hits in the nightcap, with Medeiros going 2 for 3 with his homer and four RBI. Blair was 2 for 2 with two runs scored and a double and freshman first baseman Dan Rokitowski (Wappingers Falls, NY) was 2 for 3.
There were no multi-hitters for Worcester State in the second game. Two were stranded in scoring position including Bolio who registered a second-inning double with one out.
Both squads will entertain on Little East opponents in the next two days at 3:30. The Lancers will host 2011 LEC Tournament Champion Rhode Island College at Rockwood Park on Tuesday while Westfield State takes on UMass Boston.
Portions of Release Courtesy of Westfield State Sports Information