Westfield, MA --- Junior David Ruggiero (Peabody, MA) has been selected MASCAC Player of the Week for his efforts in a 6-1 week for Worcester State.
Ruggiero swatted .400 (6-for-15) with three doubles, seven RBIs and a trio of runs scored. His standout performance at the plate included five hits, four RBIs in a 9-4 and 5-4 win over Framingham State and three hits and a trifecta of runs driven in to help take two victories at Salem State.
In the nightcap triumph over the Rams on Patriots Day, Ruggiero got out of a bases loaded jam in the seventh, tossed a scoreless eighth to collect his first winning collegiate decision on the mound and notched the game-winning walk-off RBI single. He also notched a three-out save in a Lancers 6-4 win over UMass Dartmouth this past Monday.
Through 35 games, Ruggiero is fifth in the MASCAC with a .395 batting average while he is also second in triples (5), fourth in hits (45), fifth in slugging (.535), seventh in on base percentage (.429), tied for eighth in runs batted in (21) and 11th in runs (21).
Ruggerio was instrumental in helping the Lancers claim the top seed in this week's MASCAC tournament with their Saturday sweep over Salem State to help share their seventh regular season crown with the Vikings.
Worcester State (22-14, 11-3 MASCAC) will entertain the winner of the #4 Westfield State and fifth-seeded Fitchburg State matchup on Friday at 3 PM in the quarterfinals of the league playoffs.