Owls Fall in Series Finale at #29 Montclair

WESTFIELD, Mass. – Westfield State scored three runs in the first inning to jump out to an early lead, but #29 Montclair State powered ahead in the middle innings to defeat the Owls 13-3 in the series finale from Yogi Berra Stadium in Montclair, N.J. on Sunday afternoon.

The Owls took the series opener 8-3, then dropped the final two games to lose the series against a nationally ranked opponent as the Red Hawks advance to 14-4 on the season.

Westfield wasted no time securing the lead, batting through the order in the top of the first while posting a crooked number. Kaen Smith (Washingtonville, N.Y.) and Sam Palmer (Medfield, Mass.) registered back-to-back singles with one out, then after a line out, Stephen Carrozza (Pearl River, N.Y.) singled into right field to score Smith for a 1-0 lead.

Alex Martin (Shrewsbury, Mass.) followed and deposited a RBI single into left to plate Palmer. The two-out rally continued with a single from TJ May (North Granby, Conn.), then Nick Gouveia (Grafton, Mass.) worked an eight pitch walk with the bases loaded, tacking on a third run for a 3-0 lead before the Red Hawks took their first at bats.

After a scoreless home half, the Red Hawks tied the game in the second inning with Dylan Briggs smacking a double to left center to score two and trim the deficit to one run, then with two outs, Jared Levis tied the game with a double to left.

More two out hitting put the Red Hawks in front in the third inning on a double to left center by John Tomsho with the Owls one strike away from getting out of the inning. May led off the fourth inning with a single, then a sacrifice bunt by Gouveia moved him into scoring position, but Westfield could not bring him in.

Damage was done in the fourth inning for Montclair, sending ten batters to the plate and tallying a six runs. A single to left, then two infield hits set the table for a sizeable inning for Montclair with Michael Wansaw Jr. punctuating the frame with a run-scoring single into centerfield for a 10-3 advantage.

The Owls had an opportunity to cut into the Red Hawks lead in the sixth inning, loading the bases with one out after May's third hit of the game followed by a Gouveia hit by pitch and a walk from Nick Lenfest (Westfield, Mass.). Montclair reliever Joe Paccione dug in and stranded all three runners, recording consecutive strikeouts to thwart the comeback effort.

Montclair fed off the momentum in the inning by scoring three in the bottom half with Tomsho hitting a solo home run followed by an Owls error which scored two more later in the inning.

The Red Hawks were aggressive on the basepaths throughout the contest, with eight different players combining to swipe nine bags.

The Owls were shut down by right hander Logan Shumard who was first out of the pen for the Red Hawks. He tossed four scoreless innings, allowing no runs on two hits to pick up the win. Craig Barnes (Billerica, Mass.) got the start for Westfield, taking the loss while covering 3.1 innings. 

Westfield State will return back to Massachusetts where they will open MASCAC play against Fitchburg State on the road which is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday at 3:00 P.M.