Salem State Improves to 4-1 In Conference With 7-2 Win Over Mass Maritime

SALEM, Mass. - Andrew McLaughlin's (Peabody, Mass.) seven strikeout performance led the Salem State Vikings to a 7-2 MASCAC win over the Mass Maritime Buccaneers on Friday afternoon. The Vikings advance to 10-7 on the season and 4-1 in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference while the Buccaneers slip to 3-15 on the year and 0-5 in conference.   

McLaughlin, who came into the game second in the league with a 1.48 ERA, allowed just one earned run in improving to 4-0 on the season and is now tied for the conference lead in victories.    

In the second inning, Kyle O'Connor's (Lynn, Mass.) double preceded a Madoc Fisher (Wayne, NJ)  ground-rule double, which gave Salem State a 1-0 lead. 

The Buccaneers scratched across a run in the top of the fourth. With two players in scoring position, Jackson Simone (Seattle, Wash.) grounded out, but Paul Sances (Middleboro, Mass.) managed to reach home to tie the game at 1-1. 

Salem State quickly regained the lead as O'Connor tripled to open up the bottom of the fourth inning. A Buccaneers' error on the play allowed O'Connor to come home, putting the Vikings ahead 2-1.  

In the seventh inning, Brendan Greene (Winchester, Mass.) stole third base and then scored on a throwing error giving Salem State a 3-1 lead.  

An error by the Vikings in the eighth allowed Michael Doyle (Boston, Mass.) close the gap to 3-2. 

However, Salem State countered with four runs in the bottom of the inning to pull ahead 7-2. Shawn Rebello (Bellingham, Mass.) drove in two runs with a single to put Salem State on top 5-2. Traverse Briana (Lynn, Mass.) added an RBI-single before a double steal by Briana and Greene brought home another run on an errant throw by the catcher. 

Brian Kwedor (Marshfield, Mass.) was charged with the loss, going 7.0 innings with seven hits and seven strikeouts and just one earned run allowed. 

O'Connor finished 2-for-4 with a double, triple and two runs scored while Briana had three hits in five trips to the plate, which included an RBI.