WORCESTER, Mass. - The Worcester State University baseball team defeated MCLA 9-4 Thursday afternoon in Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference action at Lyons Diamond.
With the win, Worcester State jumps above .500 at 14-13, and 6-7 in the conference. The Trailblazers fall to 9-19 overall with the defeat and 3-10 in MASCAC play.
MCLA scored first in the contest as sophomore Jake Ferrara (East Haven, Conn.) recorded an RBI single with two outs in the top of the first, giving the Trailblazers an early 1-0 advantage.
The score was still 1-0 in the bottom of the third inning when Worcester State senior Ben Palatino (Hudson, Mass.) tied the score on an RBI double. Michael Ferrara (Easton, Mass.) put Worcester State ahead minutes later with an RBI fielder's choice.
Worcester's lead was short-lived, as junior Dillon Maxon (Brunswick, N.Y.) tied the score on an RBI sacrifice fly in the top of the fourth, and another MCLA run crossed the plate on a throwing error on the play, putting the Trailblazers up 3-2 in the fourth.
Michael Ferrara, Kevin Larkin (Rocky Hill, Conn.), Seth Leslie (Phillipston, Mass.), and Michael Chaves Jr. (Hudson, Mass.) all had RBI base hits in the bottom of the fifth inning as Worcester State jumped out in front for good. A two-run single from Andrew Miller (Naples, Fla.) capped off the seven-run inning that put the Lancers on top 9-3.
Jake Ferrara recorded his second RBI of the game on an infield single in the top of the seventh, but the comeback bid wasn't meant to be for MCLA, and Worcester State closed out the 9-4 victory.
Chris Elliott (Plymouth, Mass.) got the win for Worcester State on the hill, allowing two earned runs on seven hits in six innings pitched. With three effective innings in relief, PJ Walsh (Bridgewater, Mass.) was credited with a save, allowing one earned on two hits with two strikeouts. The loss went to MCLA's Mike Urbanski (Beverly, Mass.).
The teams will be back in action Friday afternoon to play games two and three of their series at 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. in North Adams.
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