Baseball Edged by Rams in Series Opener

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. – Framingham State junior Cam Gilroy (Salisbury, Mass.) delivered a two run double in the bottom of the ninth as the Rams walked off with a 5-4 victory over Westfield State in Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) action this afternoon at Bowditch Field.     

The Owls winning streak ends at six games, falling to 16-16 on the season and 10-6 in the MASCAC. The Rams pull ahead for sole possession of second place with the win, improving to 21-12 overall and 11-5 in the conference.

Westfield State grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on a solo homerun from Dan Burnett (Granville, Mass.) and then doubled the lead in the top of the third on a sacrifice fly from Ethan Day (Meriden, Conn.).

The Rams tied the game in the bottom of the third. Steven Burbank (Canton, Mass.) singled home a run and then came around to score when Ryan Boyle (Arlington, Mass.) was caught in a run-down between first and second. 

The Owls took the lead back in the top of the fifth on a Devin Slattery (Ware, Mass.) sacrifice fly. Westfield pushed the lead to two in the top of the eighth on a John Nickerson (Chelmsford, Mass.) sacrifice fly. 

The Rams loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth trailing by two runs. Lucas Basile (Upton, Mass.) grounded out plating the first run and moved the runners to second and third. Gilroy followed with a walk-off two-run double to left giving the Rams the 5-4 victory. 

Ryan Lapierre (Pittsfield, Mass.) took the loss for the Owls going eight and a third, allowing five runs, four earned on four hits with 10 strikeouts. He cruised through the first eight innings, allowing just one earned run before getting into trouble in the ninth inning as weather conditions began to deteriorate.

Vincent LoGuidice (Billerica, Mass.) went seven and a third for the Rams, allowing four runs, three earned on five hits with two strikeouts. Anthony Panza (Watertown, Mass.) earned the victory in relief going an inning and a third without allowing a hit or a run and striking out four. 

Burnett tallied three hits on the day, all of which went for extra bases and also scored twice. Day and Trey Faulkner (Springfield, Mass.) recorded the other two hits as both teams recorded five hits apiece in a pitcher's duel.

Both teams are back in action tomorrow when they meet in Westfield for a pair of games beginning at 2 p.m. 

(Parts of release courtesy of Framingham State sports information)