Washington (Md.) College Tops Owls in Vero Beach

WESTFIELD, Mass.  – Washington College's Chase Ruppell scored four runs and drove in three to lead the Shoreman to a 13-5 baseball win over Westfield State at Holman Stadium at the Jackie Robinson Spring Training complex in Vero Beach, Fla., on Monday.

Westfield State dips to 5-2 with the loss, while Washington improves to 2-8.

Westfield starter Michael Hall (Westfield, Mass.) took the loss, lasting 2.2 innings and allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits and three walks while striking out four.  Hall worked around baserunners in the first and second innings before running into trouble in the third, as the first three men in the inning reached via base hits, with Ty Everitt doubling, Will Turner driving in Everitt with a base hit, and Logan Yi following with an RBI triple.

Washington tacked on three more runs in the top of the fifth inning off Owls' reliever Quinn Gallagher (Dalton, Mass./Wahconah), a two-run single from Tahir Parker the big blow in the inning.

The Owls trimmed the lead to 6-3 in the bottom of the fifth.  Westfield's Sean Clark (Dudley, Mass./St. John's Shrewsbury) drove in a pair of runs with a double down the third base line in the bottom of the fifth.   Thomas LaSpada (West Hartford, Conn./Hall) followed a few batters later, tomahawking a high fastball to left to score Clark.

Ruppel scored two runners on a base hit in the top of the sixth as the Shoremen extended the lead to 10-3.

Clark yanked a hanging breaking ball over the left field fence for a 2-run homer in the bottom of the sixth.

Clark finished 2-4 with two runs scored and four RBI.   LaSpada added a pair of hits for the Owls.

The Owls marooned 13 men on base in the game.

Westfield will have a day off tomorrow, returning to face Lasell University on Wednesday, before finishing the trip with a game against Northwestern (Minn.) University on Thursday morning.

Hollman Stadium is the centerpiece of the Jackie Robinson Complex - the former "Dodgertown," spring training home of the Los Angeles Dodgers from 1953-2008. The Dodgers won five World Series in that span, with the complex hosting the famous 'longevity infield' of Steve Garvey, Davey Lopes, Bill Russell and Ron Cey', and numerous baseball hall of famers, including Robinson himself in the early days of the Dodgertown development. Dodger notable Hall of Famers who trained at Dodgertown in that span includes Sandy Koufax, Duke Snider, Don Sutton, Mike Pizza, Don Drysdale, Eddie Murray and Adrian Beltre.