Vikings' Rally in Ninth

SALEM, Mass. -- Brahiam Ortega's one-out bases loaded walk brought in Owen Duggan with the game-winning run as Salem State defeated Lasell 4-3 on Tuesday at The Central Campus Bseball Field. Duggan led-off the inning with a single to right. Consecutive sacrifice bunt attempts by the Vikings, forced two errors by Lasell's defense, which loaded the bases to set up Ortega's game-winning RBI. Salem State is now 4-13 on the season while Lasell goes to 10-8.  

A failed pick-off attempt of Ortega,who was on third, by the catcher brought in the first run of the game in the first. Salem State starter Carl Beatrice, who went 2.1 innings, allowed a hit with two strikeouts before being replaced by Jake Usenia in the third. Scoring was at a premium in the first six inning as Lasell's best chance in the fifth came up empty as a double steal ended with Ross Audet being thrown out at the plate to end the inning with the Vikings still clinging to a 1-0 lead. 

However, the Lasers tied the game in the sixth on a base hit thru the right side by Matthew Paharik. 

Lasell starter Ryan Spies made it to the seventh, but a walk and wild pitch put runners on first and third, Jason Giangrande entered the game and after a walk loaded the bases, a sacrifice fly by Ortega and a base hit by Jake Boucher gave Salem State a 3-1 lead. Lasell countered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh, tying the game on a triple to deep center by Owen Caldwell off reliever Greg Gentle.

Spies went 6.0 innings and was charged with three runs - two earned on three hits with with four walks and a strikeout. Boucher came on to pitch in the ninth, and despite a single by Pierce Clare, did not allow a run to earn his first win of the season. Giangrande suffered the loss, going 2.1 innings with two hits a strikeout and two walks with one earned run.

Ortega had two walks and two RBI's on the day for Salem State while Duggan went 2-for-3 with a double, two runs scored and a walk. Boucher finished with two hits, a walk and RBI.