Worcester, MA- after another rain and snow filled week to start the spring season, the Worcester State Baseball team (3-11,2-1) was set to take on their second conference opponent. In a set of games initially scheduled to be at Worcester State yesterday, the Lancers instead traveled to Westfield State (14-5,3-0) for the double header. While the game was now at Westfield, the Blue and Gold would still be serving as the home team on the field, batting at the bottom of the innings.
Final- Game 1
Westfield State: 4
Worcester State: 7
Final- Game 2
Westfield State: 11
Worcester State: 2
How it Happened:
Senior Ben Smith (Bourne, MA) would get the starting nod in game one action for the Lancers. The opening inning of batting action for Worcester State would see the first run scored by junior Tyler Smith (Leominster, MA) off an error by the Owls pitcher.
The second inning saw Lancers scoring runs after runs. The first would come from sophomore Nathan Thurber (Framingham, MA) off of a first year Jeremy DeLacruz (Lowell, MA) double, followed by first year Kevin Doyle (Bridgewater, MA) and Delacruz scoring off a senior Tom Halliwell ( Leominster, MA) double. The Lancers continued their power plays with Halliwell and Tyler Smith scoring runs after a single from junior Anthony Iamarone (Providence, Ri.) Worcester State would advance to the third inning with 6-0 lead on the scoreboard.
Westfield State would cut the lead in half in the 3rd inning with Trey Faulkner scoring and Justin Neidel and Robinson Baez crossing the plate. Worcester State was not rattled though and was able to score a run in the bottom of the third inning after a DeLacruz sac fly would send Ryan Jewett across the plate.
During the 6th inning, Westfield State junior Sam Palmer would add the final run of the game as Worcester would hold on to take a 7-4 victory in game one action.
Ben Smith would go for the complete game win, recording 11 strikeouts with four earned runs on 26 batters.
The second game would see a script flip from game one as the Owls would jump out to an early lead with the score settling at 8-0 before Worcester recorded their first hit of the game in the bottom of the fourth.
The first real scoring chance for the Lancers would come in the bottom of the sixth as a Halliwell hit into a fielder's choice followed by a double with a right field fielding error would lead to Imarone joining him in base. Sophomore Joe Auger (Lowell, MA) singled to left field for a two RBI single as Worcester looked to work their way back into the game. August would grab out number two on an attempted stolen base with a fly out to center ending the Worcester threat in the sixth.
The top of the seventh would see Westfield State grab back their two runs and carry the 11-2 lead into the bottom of the inning as Worcester looked for the comeback.
Worcester would threaten in the inning as sophomore Nathan Thurber (Framingham, MA) would single to left and work his way to third off a stolen base and wild pitch. Worcester would be unable to get him home though as the next batters struck out swinging and ground out for the 11-2 loss.
What's Next:
At the conclusion of the day Worcester now sits at (4-12, 3-2) and will return to action on Tuesday when Westfield (15-6, 4-1) journeys to Worcester for a single game set, where the Owls will serve as the home team with the game set for 3:00pm.