Marshall, Lapierre Earn MASCAC Honors

WESTFIELD, Mass. – Westfield State sophomore first baseman Nick Marshall (Reading, Mass.) and junior pitcher Ryan Lapierre (Pittsfield, Mass.) both earned conference honors this past week with Marshall receiving the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Week and Lapierre being named the conference Pitcher of the Week.  

Across a pair of victories last week, Marshall posted a .333 batting average with two home runs and four RBI. He also recorded three walks, three runs scored, a .556 on base percentage and a 1.333 slugging percentage.

Marshall laced a two-run home run to right-centerfield and scored twice in the Owls 5-1 win over Springfield College on Tuesday. He then mashed another two-run homer and walked twice in Westfield's 10-1 thrashing of the #2 ranked team in Division III in Eastern Connecticut State on Wednesday.

On the season, Marshall leads the MASCAC in home runs with five and leads the Owls in runs batted in (12). The sophomore left-handed hitter has recorded at least one RBI in seven of Westfield's last eight contests.

Lapierre baffled an Eastern Connecticut lineup that is currently averaging over seven runs per game, tossing eight strong innings while allowing just a single run on three hits. He struck out four and only issued two walks. The single run scored by the Warriors is currently their season low.

Through three starts this year, Lapierre has allowed one earned run in each of his outings, registering a conference-leading 1.29 earned run average across 21.0 innings. The University of Hartford transfer has also displayed exceptional control, walking five batters this year.

Westfield State will be in action in a little over an hour as the Owls travel to Western New England for a 3:00 P.M. first pitch before finally returning to Hagan Field for their home opener against Coast Guard on Wednesday at 3:30 P.M.