Baseball Puts Four Players on MASCAC All-Conference Teams
The Westfield State baseball team placed four players on the MASCAC All-Conference Teams with senior Nick Martin and first-year Sam Palmer receiving first-team recognition. Damien Maniscalco and Nolan Florence each earned second-team placement.
WESTFIELD, Mass. – The Westfield State baseball team placed four players on the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference All-Conference teams with senior Nick Martin (Shrewsbury, Mass.) and first-year Samuel Palmer (Medfield, Mass.) named to All-Conference First Team. Senior Damien Maniscalco (Branford, Conn.) and sophomore Nolan Florence (Chicopee, Mass.) each received All-Conference Second Team recognition.
Martin started all 40 games in the leadoff spot for the Owls, setting the single-season school record for runs scored with 52. The senior outfielder led the Owls in total bases (89), hits (54), extra base hits (20), walks (25) and stolen bases (14). He also tied the team lead with 34 RBI and was top four in the MASCAC in home runs with seven. His .351/.446/.578 slash line were all top three on the team in each category. Martin finished the season with one of his most memorable performances of the year, registering four hits and five RBI in a MASCAC tournament game against Salem State.
Palmer received a spot on the first team by leading the conference in batting average (.402), earning him a spot in the WSU .400 club. The first-year outfielder also led the MASCAC in on-base percentage (.513) while owning the second-highest slugging percentage in the conference (.652). Palmer finished the year with five home runs and 22 RBI, walking 16 times compared to just eight strikeouts in 92 at-bats. On top of his impressive rookie campaign, Palmer collected two walk-off hits for the Owls, one of which was an inside-the-park home run.
Maniscalco was an All-Conference shortstop for the Owls, compiling a .302 batting average with 38 hits and 17 RBI in 39 games played. He recorded 11 multi-hit games this year, and finished the season by tallying at least one hit in 11 of the last 13 contests.
Florence provided major pop for the Owls in the middle of the order, blasting the second most home runs (8) in the conference while also finishing third in the MASCAC in on-base percentage (.463). The sophomore catcher hit .304 and collected 15 extra base hits to go along with 31 RBI in 35 games. He tied the school record by launching three home runs in a single game in a come-from-behind victory over MCLA. He also shut down the run game behind the dish, throwing out eight baserunners to tie for the second most in the conference.
Westfield State ended the 2022 season with two closely contested losses in the MASCAC tournament, losing both games by one run in ten innings to put a close to their season.