Banche Leads Vikings to Game Two Win

Jose Rodriguez '24, Staff Writer | Media & Communications

SALEM, Mass.-  AJ Pietrafesa (Harwinton, Ct.) hit a two-out, two-run home run in the top of the eighth inning and starting pitcher Chase Dwight (West Newburry, Mass.) recorded the win after pitching seven complete innings as Mass. Maritime earned a 2-0 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) victory over Salem State at Central Campus Baseball Field on Saturday. Dwight allowed three hits, three walks with three strikeouts in the win. In game two, Antonio Belgrove (Stamford, Conn.) laced a two-out RBI single in the sixth inning, which proved to be the difference as Salem State salvaged the final game of their three game set versus Mass. Maritime with a 2-1 victory. The Buccaneers are now 16-14, 9-5 while the Vikings move to 14-12, 7-7 in the season. 

Brock Pare (Lowell, Mass.)  pitched 7.2 innings for Salem State in game one, allowing only five hits and one earned run. He struck out a total of nine hitters and issued two walks. Pare ultimately earned a no-decision. Brenden Baiardi (Harwinton, Ct.)  managed to record his fourth save of the season. Matt Walling (Plantsville, Conn.) suffered the loss after giving up one earned run in just 0.1 innings.

Kyle Banche (Torrington, Conn.) put in a solid effort, in the second game. Banche pitched five innings, allowing only five hits and one earned run. Nick Bamforth (Stoneham, Mass.) pitched a scoreless sixth to earn the win. Jake Boucher (Wallingford, Conn.) recorded his third save of the season.  

Game One

• By the time the fifth inning came around both teams were still scoreless, The Buccaneers found themselves in a promising situation with runners at the corners and two outs. However, Tucker Leslie (Mashpee, Mass.) was caught attempting to steal, resulting in a rundown for the final out of the inning.
• During the bottom of the inning Aiden Lynch (North Andover, Mass.) and Dylan Adamson (Lunenberg, Mass.) managed to hit back-to-back singles.  With two out Mark Smith (East Haven, Conn.) was intentionally walked, to load the bases setting the stage for a potential game-changing moment. Boucher unfortunately was unable to deliver as he grounded into a double play that ended the inning.
•  The game was scoreless until the eighth when Pare was lifted with two outs in the eighth with a runner at first. Pietrafesa blasted a two-run bomb to left field, which was the difference in the game.  

Game Two

• The game between remained scoreless for the first two innings, but in the third inning, Michael  Estrada (Covington, LA) hit a single to the left field, bringing home the first run of the game, allowing Jake Houston (Bellingham, Mass.) to score from third. The Vikings managed to even up the scoring during the bottom half of the inning, thanks to Edward Field's (Gloucester, Mass.) double to left center field. Lynch then reached base on an error. Two batters later, Smith hit a sacrifice fly to the right fielder, allowing Field to score from third.
• Belgrove proved to be the hero as he scored the go-ahead run in the sixth to put his team ahead. With two outs and two runners on base, Belgrove hit a well-placed single to center field, bringing in the go-ahead run to give the Vikings a 2-1 lead.

NOTEWORTHY

• Pare pitched 7.2 innings and had nine strikeouts, which was his longest outing and his season-high in strikeouts. 
• James Dolan (Rockland, Mass,), Owen Duggan (Billerica, Mass.), Lynch, and Adamson contributed with a base hit each in the first game.
• Michael Logiudice (Bridgewater, Mass.) recorded a multi-hit game in the first game of the doubleheader.  
• Smith in the second game stole his 20th base of the season. He is 20 for 22 in stolen base attempts.