Worcester, MA- The Worcester State Baseball team (10-26, 9-12) open up their post season play this afternoon in a moved up game versus Framingham State (16-18, 14-7) in the 6-seed versus 3-seed single elimination battle, with the winner advancing to the MASCAC Quarterfinals versus Bridgewater State (23-14, 14-1) later in the afternoon. Worcester State aims to avenge the first round loss to Mass. Maritime, coincidently played at Framingham State last year, in this year's postseason battle. 

Final

Framingham State: 1

Worcester State: 3

How it Happened:

Leading on the mound for Worcester State would be senior Ben Smith (Bourne, MA) whose last outing was a hit away from a perfect game into the seventh inning before Worcester claimed the 1-0 win over Mass. Maritime. The Rams and Lancers would make quick work of each other in the opening inning of action, holding a 0-0 game into the fourth.

Worcester would find their first run of the game in the top of the fourth as senior Frankie Hernandez (Framingham, MA) would land on first after a single to left field but sophomore Nathan Thurber (Framingham, MA) would swap places during the next at bat when a bunt would be thrown to second for the first out. Senior Tom Halliwell (Leominster, MA) would get the job done just two batters later though with a line drive double to left field. 

The Rams would respond in the bottom half of the inning after three singles would send in their first run to tie the game up before Worcester could grab the final out. Worcester would not lose the lead for long though as a first year Kevin Doyle (Bridgewater, MA) grounder would put an early run on in the fifth while a follow bunt by fellow first year Ryan Jewett (Natick, MA) would bring Doyle quickly back to the dugout with a Lancers 2-1 lead. 

The game would remain a 2-1 standstill as the Lancers and Rams pitchers and fielders worked to prevent each other from gaining any ground in the game through the rest of the middle innings. 

The game would come to a head in the ninth as Worcester would look to extend their lead as Framingham aimed for the walk off victory. Worcester would get a runner on early, with just one out, as junior Tyler Smith (Leominster, MA) would send a ball sailing into left field. Hernandez would then join Smith on base after a long battle to secure a walk to have runners on first and second. 

Worcester would leap at the chance, loading the bases with two outs and forcing the Rams pitcher into a tough 3-0 count on senior Tom Halliwell (Leominster, MA) before two more pitches would see him walk to first and Hernandez recording run number three forcing the Rams to secure three runs in the bottom of the inning to claim a win and two just to push extras. While Framingham would put in their best effort, Ben Smith was hot on the mound forcing the Rams down in three quick ground outs to claim the first round win and advance to the double elimination MASCAC Quarterfinals versus Bridgewater State later in the day.

Smith would go for the complete nine innings recording 13 strikeouts and just a single earned run, why Halliwell would end the game with two RBIs.

What's Next:

Worcester State (11-26, 9-12) will shift gears from single elimination to double as they now look to take on Bridgewater State in the MASCAC Quarterfinals at 2:30pm.