Westfield State Wins Twice Over Vikings

SALEM, Mass. -- Ryan Donahue scattered five hits over 5.1 innings and Dan Burnett went 3-for-4 with a double, triple and RBI as Westfield State won the opening game of their scheduled Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) doubleheader, 10-1. Luke Mathewson pitched a complete game four-hit shutout in game two to lead the Owls to a 3-0 win to complete the sweep. Westfield State goes to 14-15 on the season and 8-5 in the MASCAC. The Vikings continue their slide are are now 7-22 and 4-10 in conference.

Game One

Donahue allowed a single run and struck out five with two walks to earn the victory. The Owls racked up seven extra-base hits, including four in a four-run sixth inning. 

Brahiam Ortega led-off the game with a single to right in the bottoms of the first for the Vikings. Back-to-back walk loaded the bases, but Westfield State starter Donahue worked out of trouble, recording a strikeout and fly out to right to keep the game scoreless. 

State State starter Brock Pare did not allow a hit thru three innings. However, Burnett led off the fourth for the Owls with a double that hugged the left field line. A failed pickoff attempt moved him to third and Ethan Day delivered the the first run of the game with a single to right center. A Nick Martin RBI single and run-scoring triple by Burnett made the score 3-0 in favor of Westfield State in the fifth. Pare lasted five innings, giving up three runs -- two earned with five strikeouts and three walks. An infield single by EJ Field drove in Jake Boucher in the bottom of the fifth, making  it a 3-1 game.

The Owls broke open the game in the sixth off reliever Greg Gentle, sending nine men to the plate. A two-run double by John Nickerson follwed by an RBI triple by Sean Clark put Westfield State up 6-0. Nick Marshall's double to left then drove in Clark with the Owls' fourth run of the inning. Emerson Tucholski finished the inning on the mound  for Salem State. A single by James Dolan in the bottom of the sixth brought in reliever Joe Espinola for Westfield State to close out the game. 

The Owls plated three runs in the seventh on an RBI double by Justin Niedel and two-run double from Alex Martin. Espinola pitched a scoreless 1.2 innings, allowing one hit with a strikeout. Day finished 3-for-4 with a double, RBI and run scored. Boucher went 2-for-4 with a run scored for the Vikings. 

Game Two

Justin Neidel put Westfield State on top 1-0 in the second inning, scoring Trey Faulkner, who had walked, from first on a double as the throw got past the Salem State second baseman.

Starter Jack Sefrino went 4.0 strong innings before being replced by Kyle Banche in the fifth. Sefrino allowed a run on just one hit with a walk and pair of strikeouts. Nick Marshall drove in Nolan Florence, who had singled, from second with a ground-rule to left center with the second run of the game for the Owls in the fifth. A walk and two hit batters led to an insurance run for Westfield State in the seventh as Martin added a sacrifice fly to put the Owls on top 3-0 off reliever Carl Beatrice. The Vikings put a runner on in the seventh, but Mathewson recorded his fifth strikeout to end the game. Mathewson walked two and hit three batters.

Marshall went 1-for-2 with two RBI for Westfield State.