NORTHBORO, Mass. – The Worcester State University baseball team was swept by the Falcons of Fisher College by scores of 5-2 and 10-9 on the team's season opening day at the New England Baseball Complex.

THE BASICS

February 28, 2018

New England Baseball Complex

Records: Fisher College (7-5) | Worcester State (0-2)

GAME ONE: Fisher College 5, Worcester State 2

Fisher College defeated the Lancers 5-2 in the opening game as they scored five runs on nine hits and three Lancer errors.

Worcester State started the scoring in the top of the 3^rd inning when back-to-back singles from Cooper Bigelow (Leominster, Mass.), Ben Palatino (Hudson, Mass.), and Kenan Kolanda (Sterling, Mass.) loaded the bases. On the next at-bat, Bigelow scored to put the Lancers ahead 1-0.

The Falcons were unable to match that in the bottom half, but answered with three runs on two hits and one Lancer error in the bottom of the 4^th. With two outs, Sami Bibovic (Brooklyn, N.Y.) reached base on a hit by pitch, and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Haydell Alecia (Carolina, Puerto Rico) walked to give the Falcons two men on base. Next up, Cody Mercier (Salem, Mass.) homered to right field to put the score at 3-1, Falcons.

Each team scored one run in the 5^th inning, but Fisher tallied the final score of the game in the bottom of the 6^th when Mercier crossed home plate on a wild pitch.

• Mercier led the Falcons, going 2-for-4 with a home run, two runs and three RBI.
• Rivera and Bibovic also batted .500 in game one.
• Mitchell Ludlholm (Plymouth, Mass.) went 2-for-3 with a double.
• Worcester State's Kolanda, Patrick Grow (Worcester, Mass.), and Jimmy Sheehan (Oxford, Mass.) went 2-for-4 in game one.
• On the mound, Fisher's Jose Galan (Toa Alta, Puerto Rico) earned the win in three innings pitched. He allowed one run on three hits and struck out four batters. Ivan Perez earned the save in a 2-inning performance.
• Worcester State's starting pitcher, Kyle Sullivan (Hudson, Mass.), was tabbed the loss as he pitched four innings and gave up three runs on four hits.
• Worcester State and Fisher College left 12 and 11 men on base, respectively.

GAME TWO: Fisher College 10, Worcester State 9

Worcester State came from behind and tied the score at 9-9 in the bottom of the eighth inning, but Fisher College sealed the 10-9 victory in the bottom of the 9^th when Jose Jimenez (Lawrence, Mass.) hit a walkoff single to centerfield with bases loaded and two outs for the game-winning run.

Fisher College scored their first run of the game in the 1^st inning when Ludlholm hit an RBI single. The Falcons added to their lead in the bottom of the 3^rd when they scored four runs on one hit and one Lancer error.

Worcester State put a number on the scoreboard in the top of the 4^th when Keith Dombroski (Sutton, Mass.) bunted in Kevin Larkin (Rocky Hill, Conn.) for the 5-1 score. Fisher matched that in the reverse side of the inning when Cameron Pearson (Orlando, Fla.) scored on a wild pitch.

Worcester State ignited a comeback beginning in the top of the 6^th when they scored three runs on two hits and on Falcon error. Larkin, Jake Breton (Wilbraham, Mass.) and Bigelow were tabbed with the RBI.

Fisher responded with two runs in the bottom of the 7^th to put the score at 9-4, Falcons.

The Lancers came from behind and knotted the score at 9-9 in the top of the 8^th when they scored five runs on two hits and two Falcon errors. Colin Medeiros (Fall River, Mass.) brought the first run in, and then Palatino hit a 2-run shot to left center to cut the Falcon's lead to just two. An RBI double from Larkin scored Kolanda, and then Mike Ferrara (Easton, Mass.) scored on a wild pitch to tie the game heading into the bottom of the 8^th.

Lancer relief pitcher, Bradleigh Saltsman (Ayer, Mass.) entered the game and ended the 8^th inning with a groundout, strikeout, and fly out to go into the 9^th with a 9-9 score.

Worcester State was unable to break the tie in the top of the 9^th and left two men on base. Fisher won the game in the bottom of the 9^th when Jimenez hit a walkoff single to centerfield with two outs and the bases loaded.

• Ludholm batted .750 (3-4) with one run, three RBI, and a walk in game two.
• Worcester State's Kolanda also went 3-for-4 in game two with a run.
• Palatino and Larkin led the Lancers in RBI with two apiece. Palatino hit a homer while Larkin registered two doubles.
• Fisher's Zac White (Sweet Valley, Penn.) earned the win on the mound, allowing no Lancer hits in the last 1 1/3 innings pitched.
• Worcester State's Saltsman suffered the loss in 1 2/3 innings pitched.
• In total, Fisher College left 11 men on base, while Worcester State left nine on.

UP NEXT

The Worcester State baseball team breaks until Mar. 6 when they host UMass Dartmouth in a single game at the New England Baseball Complex in Northboro. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. Fisher resumes on the same date at Brewton Parker.

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