Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score
AUBURNDALE, Fla. – Three big innings propelled the Westfield State College baseball team to a doubleheader sweep of Franklin & Marshall (Lancaster, Pa.) College, 9-6 and 11-5, on Monday, March 16.
The Owls upped their record to 4-1; the Diplomats are 3-3.
The spectators got their money’s worth in the opener, as Westfield held off a late-inning Franklin & Marshall rally then won the game in the ninth inning of the scheduled seven-inning contest on a mammoth grand slam home run by junior right fielder Kevin “Moose” Lyons.
The Owls loaded the bases in the top of the ninth on a walk, an intentional walk and a hit by pitch. Franklin & Marshall relief pitcher Bobby Hayes entered the game and Lyons cranked his first offerinng deep and high over the right field fence for the game-winning blow.
In the seventh inning, the Owls nearly took a 6-5 lead, but Ben Wagner was thrown out at home plate following a single to right field by Lyons.
In the first inning, Westfield scored five runs on four hits and two errors, but the Owls bats were silenced for the next five innings. Franklin and Marshall scored a run in the fifth and racked Westfield relief pitchers for four runs on six hits in the sixth to knot the score at 5-5. The big blows were a two-run homer by Bill Murray and a two-run double by John Dutton.
Westfield was outhit, 12-8. Wagner continued his hot hitting, going 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI. Lyons was 2-for-5 with two runs scored. Phil Towne, Westfield’s fourth and final pitcher, recorded the mound win.
In the nightcap, the Owls erupted for eight runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to break open a close game and take a commanding 11-2 lead. Ten straight batters reached base safely as the Owls scored all of their runs with two outs. The big blows were a two-run homer by Cagney Turner and a two-run double by Jeff Fields.
The Owls had seven of their 12 hits in the fourth-inning explosion. Wagner was 3-for-4 with a triple, RBI and two runs scored. Fields was 2-for-3 with a double, two RBI and three runs scored.
Joe Green hurled the final five and two-thirds innings to pick up the pitching victory in relief of starter Tymon Muska, who left the game in the second inning with an injury.
The Owls are idle on Tuesday; they return to action Wednesday morning when they play Allegheny College of Meadville, Pa.
