Worcester, MA- The Worcester State Baseball (0-4, 0-0) team returned to action after a mid trip off day to take on the Elmhurst University Blue Jays (3-9, 0-0) as they look for their first win of the season. Facing strong competition in FLorida has prepared the Lancers for some strenuous games and aim to put their battle hardened skills to the test in their double header with the Blue Jays.
Final- Game 1
Elmhurst: 3
Worcester State: 5
Final- Game 2
Elmhurst: 3
Worcester State: 0
How it Happened:
Grabbing his first start of the season, junior Jarret Morrill (Chelmsford, MA) would handle the action in game one of the double-header day versus Elmhurst. He would work quickly, as the Blue Jays went down 1-2-3 to start the action for the Lancers. Worcester would respond to Elmhurst quick half with a bit more action in their at bat, starting it off with a senior Tom Halliwell (Leominster, MA) walk that would get him to third off a junior Tyler Smith (Leominster, MA) double to left field. An error on the first baseman would place junior Anthony Iamarone (Providence, RI) on first, while Halliwell would race home undetected for the opening run of the game. Senior Frankie Hernandez (Framingham, MA) would then single to right field to load the bases with no outs recorded. After the Blue Jays managed to get one out from Worcester, sophomore Nathan Thurber (Framingham, MA) would send a deep single to center field, bringing home Smith and Iamorone for a 3-0 lead at the end of the first.
Another quick top of the inning would give the Lancers more time to work in the bottom, as first year Jeremy DeLacruz (Lowell, MA) would single to left field and land on second after a first year Kevin Doyle (Bridgewater, MA) sac bunt. Halliwell, back up for more action would get a chance to connect this time, sending a single to the busy centerfield before a 2 RBI single to left field by Smith would put Worcester up 5-0 early in the game.
The third and fourth innings were quick and efficient for both teams as each team barely got a chance to get comfortable at the plate before they were back in the dugout. The fifth inning showed the first signs of life for Elmhurst as sophomore Ryan Thrawl's (Libertyville, IL) ground out would bring in graduate student Freddie March (Itasca, IL) from third base for a run. The Blue Jays would repeat in the sixth and seventh, grabbing a run in each inning but it would not be enough to claim the victory as Worcester would come away with their first win of the season, 5-3.
Morrill would go six innings in the win with eight strikeouts and allowing just three hits while Smith and Thurber would each record two RBIs.
In a strong pitching battle game two, Worcester State and Elmhurst were in a battle to see who could crack the arm of the other first. The opening inning would go 1-2-3, and Hernandez would grab a hit in the top of the second but it was the Blue Jays who opened up the scoring in game two. After an error and a walk found two runners on, first year Evan Johnson would step up to the plate and send a homer over the right field fence for a 3-0 Blue Jays lead.
This second inning action would be the lone scoring of the game as the remaining five innings of action would see each team knuckle down and play it lights out. First year pitcher Franklin Sierra (Boston, MA) would go five innings allowing just those three runs and striking out six in the loss.
What's Next:
The Blue and Gold now sit at (1-5, 0-0) at the conclusion of the day and will return to action tomorrow to take on St. Olaf at 2pm.