Owls Split Doubleheader with Bears, Clinch Two Seed in MASCAC Tournament

WESTFIELD, Mass. – Westfield State sophomore starter Ryan Donahue (Medfield, Mass.) tossed a complete game while punching out eight as the Owls won game one, 8-1, before falling in game two by a score of 5-0 to split a doubleheader set with Bridgewater State on Saturday afternoon from Alumni Park in Bridgewater, Mass. Donahue shut down the Bears' bats, holding them to just four hits and allowing an unearned run across seven frames to pick up his fifth win of the season.

Westfield State finishes the regular season by taking two of three games from top seeded Bridgewater State as the Owls own a 24-13 overall record and a 15-5 mark in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference. Westfield clinches the number two overall seed in the MASCAC tournament as a five-run seventh inning rally by Worcester State took down Mass. Maritime, giving the Owls sole possession of second place (Mass. Maritime finishes the regular season with a 14-7 conference record). Bridgewater State finishes the season as the regular season champions after finishing the year at 27-13 and 17-4 in conference play.

In game one, Westfield jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning. The Owls loaded the bases with nobody out on a base hit, a hit by pitch and a walk. Senior left fielder Ethan Day (Meriden, Conn.) knocked in the first run of the contest on a fielder's choice ground ball. Graduate first baseman Casey Boudreau (Shrewsbury, Mass.) followed with a sacrifice fly and sophomore catcher Nolan Florence (Chicopee, Mass.) connected for an RBI double.

The Owls tacked on four more runs in the fourth to take a commanding 7-0 lead. Senior second baseman Zack Graveline (Prospect, Conn.) drove in two runs with a wind-aided triple to right field, while graduate designated hitter Max Silverman (Westford, Mass.) added an RBI single and Day drove in the fourth run of the frame with an RBI ground out. 

Senior shortstop Damien Maniscalco (Branford, Conn.) singled, stole second and scored on an RBI double by senior centerfielder Nick Martin (Shrewsbury, Mass.) to extend the Westfield advantage to 8-0 in the fifth.

The Bears got on the board with an unearned run in the bottom of the sixth inning. Sophomore shortstop Kevin Lindsay (East Bridgewater, Mass.) singled to lead off the frame and advanced to second when the ball was mishandled in centerfield. Lindsay then moved to third on a fly out and trotted home on sophomore right fielder Jay Wladkowski's (Norwood, Mass.) RBI single.

Graduate right-hander Matt Josselyn (Hanson, Mass.) suffered the loss on the mound for Bridgewater State. Josselyn (6-2) gave up a season-high seven runs on five hits over 3 1/3 innings with three walks and four strikeouts. The Owls forced Josselyn into allowing more earned runs in this start (7) then he has allowed all season long (6). Freshman pitcher Cameron Breault (Buzzards Bay, Mass.) pitched well in relief for the Bears as he allowed one run on four hits over 3 2/3 innings with no walks and five strikeouts.

Martin went 3-for-4 with a double, a walk, a stolen base, two runs and an RBI to highlight the Westfield State offense in game one. Florence (2-4, 2B, R, RBI) and Maniscalco (2-4, SB, 2R) also recorded multiple hits for the Owls.

In game two, Bridgewater junior right-hander Matthew Seavey (North Attleboro, Mass.) tossed a complete game, one-hit shutout to help the Bears split the twinbill and secure the number one seed in next week's MASCAC Tournament. Seavey walked three and struck out seven to record his first shutout of the season and lowed his ERA to 1.62.

Seavey retired 12 of the first 13 batters he faced and allowed just a walk over the first four innings before giving up a leadoff single in the top of the fifth. He set down the side in order in the first, second, fourth and sixth innings.

The Bears jumped out to the early 1-0 lead in this one. Freshman second baseman Scott Emerson (Peabody, Mass.) singled to lead off the bottom of the first inning, advanced to second on a wild pitch, stole third and raced home on sophomore left fielder Joe Frechette's (Plymouth, Mass.) sacrifice fly.

Bridgewater tacked on two more runs in the second. Sophomore centerfielder Shane Foley (East Bridgewater, Mass.) doubled to lead off the frame and scored on an RBI single by senior third baseman Patrick Cashin (Franklin, Mass.). Cashin then advanced to second on a bunt and, one out later, came around on Wladkowski's RBI double to give the hosts a 3-0 lead.

Cashin's RBI double in the third inning extended the BSU advantage to 4-0. The Bears tacked on an unearned run in the sixth when junior first baseman Joey Molis (Cumberland, R.I.) reached on a two-out dropped fly ball allowing Frechette to score from second.

Cashin went 2-for-3 with a double, a run and two RBI to lead the Bears' ten-hit attack. Frechette (2-2, R, RBI), Foley (2-3, R) and sophomore designated hitter Kyle Suraci (Clinton, Conn.) also finished with multiple hits for Bridgewater State. Suraci singled twice in four at bats and scored a run.

Boudreau notched the lone hit of the of the game for Westfield State.

Junior right-hander Ryan Robidoux (Suffield, Conn.) suffered the loss on the hill for the Owls. Robidoux (3-4) gave up three runs on six hits over two innings with a walk and a strikeout.

With the number two seed in the MASCAC tournament, the Owls will host a playoff game on Thursday at 3:00 P.M. against the winner of the #3 seed Mass. Maritime versus #6 seed Framingham State which will also be played at Hagan Field in Westfield, Mass. on Thursday at 11:00 A.M.  

(Parts of release courtesy of Bridgewater State sports information)