Baseball Splits a Pair with Westfield State

Westfield, Mass. - The Framingham State University baseball team was defeated 11-10 in eight innings by Westfield State in game one of a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) doubleheader before the Rams took game two 10-9 in eight innings this afternoon at Hagan Field. 

THE BASICS: 

- Scores:  Westfield State 11, Framingham State 10 (8 Innings) 
Framingham State 10, Westfield State 9 (8 Innings) 

- Records: Framingham State (7-21, 5-8), Westfield State (20-9, 7-6) 

- Location:  Hagan Field – Westfield, Mass.    

INSIDE THE NUMBERS: 

Game 1: Westfield 11, Framingham 10 

• In the opener, the Rams fell behind 2-0 in the first inning but plated six runs in the top of the second taking a 6-1 lead.  JC Espinal hit a solo home run, and Steven Burbank added a two-run triple in the inning. 

• The Owls got a single run back in the bottom of the second, but the Rams plated four more in the third taking a 10-3 lead.  The Rams received a pair of bases loaded walks and sacrifice flies from Roscoe Palmer and Massimo Mondi. 

• The Owls tallied a single run in the bottom of the third and then tied the game with six runs in the bottom of the seventh forcing extra innings. 

• The Rams loaded the bases in the top of the eighth with two outs but could not push across the go ahead run. The Owls loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning and secured the victory with a bases loaded hit by pitch. 

• Burbank and Espinal each finished the game 1-for-3 with two RBI, while Lucas Basile went 1-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBI. 

Game 2: Framingham 10, Westfield 9 (8 Innings) 

• In game two, the Rams built a 6-0 lead after four innings. Burbank and Christian Cox doubled home runs and Daniel Robichaud, Basile and Mondi added RBI singles. 

• The Owls took the lead with seven runs in the fifth inning, but the Rams responded in the top of the sixth. Basile and Cox doubled home runs giving the Rams an 8-7 lead. 

• Westfield tied the game in the bottom of the sixth and neither team scored in the seventh sending the game to extra innings. 

• The Rams reclaimed the lead 10-8 in the top of the eighth on an RBI single from Cox and when a run scored on an Owl error.  The Owls threatened in the bottom of the inning but fell short plating only one run.  

• Jason Strickland earned the victory by tossing three innings in relief, allowing two earned runs on four hits. PJ Moniz earned the save going .1 innings and did not allow a hit. 

• Cox finished the game 3-for-3 with three RBI, while Basile finished the game 2-for-4 with two RBI and two Runs scored.