Baseball Defeated Twice by Framingham State, 9-7 and 9-0

Worcester, MA --- Framingham State defeated Worcester State, 9-7 and 9-0, in MASCAC baseball action this afternoon at Rockwood Park. Sophomore Tony Iafolla (Medfield, MA) went 3-for-3 with a trio of runs scored in the opener while classmate Brendan Busa (Framingham, MA) tossed six scoreless frames in the nightcap for the visitors.

With the pair of victories, the Rams improve to 18-11 and 6-2 to move into second place in the MASCAC while the Lancers slip to 9-20 and 2-6 in the eight-team circuit.

In the nightcap, Busa (3-1) was sensational as he hurled six innings of one-hit ball. He would allow just two base runners to reach on walks to lead off the top of the first and fifth before he allowed a clean single to left center to senior Jack Rafferty (Thompson, CT) in the sixth.  

Freshman Pat Dempsey (E. Bridgewater, MA) came out for the bottom of the seventh gave up a single to first-year Clayton Fahey (E. Brookfield, MA) and a double to sophomore Dan Ubele (Tyngsboro, MA) with two outs, but that would be the Lancers lone threat to score a run as he fanned a batter looking for the final out of the twinbill.

Framingham State claimed the early 2-0 advantage on an RBI single by sophomore Ryan Colon (Waltham, MA) and then senior Pedro Acevedo (Fall River, MA) crossed home on a mishandled ball by the centerfielder.

The Rams added to their lead with three unearned runs in the top of the third. Iafolla had a sacrifice fly, senior Chris Cole (Lynn, MA) notched a run producing single and Colon scored on an errant throw by the third-baseman.

Junior Justin Forman (Watertown, MA) helped put the game out of reach in the fourth with a two-run single and Iafolla followed with a plated triple for the commanding 8-0 advantage. The visitors tacked on one more run in the fifth when freshman Cam Couillard (N. Andover, MA) drove in senior Chris Blydell (Lynn, MA) with a double.

Worcester State senior Kyle St. Thomas (Bridgewater, MA) held the visitors off the scoreboard in the final 2 1/3 innings as he fanned four and held the Rams without a base-knock.

Freshman Joe Perlak (Chicopee, MA) shouldered the setback for WSU. Perlak (0-3) went the first 2 2/3 innings allowing five runs (one earned) on three hits to go with two strikeouts and a trio of walks.

Blydell and Colon scored two runs for the Rams in a nine-hit attack as freshman Mark Mainini (Hull, MA) was the contest's lone multi-hitter with a 2-for-3 line in the box score.

The shutout in the second contest marked the sixth time the Lancers have been blanked this season as it equals a mark that 1993 squad held.

In fact, the 1997 season marked the only time a Dr. Dirk Baker coached team had been held scoreless for more than one game in a single campaign since he took the reins of the program in 1996. Coming into this season, Baker's teams have only been blanked 11 times in a remarkable stretch of 596 contests and 658 games overall since the 1993. 

In the opener, Worcester State took the early 3-0 in the bottom of the first lead on an RBI single by freshman Cody Osburn (Fair Oaks, CA) and a two-run safety by classmate David Ruggiero (Peabody, MA).   

Framingham State promptly responded with a four-run frame in the top of the second. Taking advantage of a misplayed fly ball in the outfield, Blydell drove home two runs with a three-bagger and Couillard registered a run producing solo base-knock.

The Rams added to their advantage with two key runs in the top of the third on RBI by Mainini and a sacrifice fly by Blydell.

Facing the 6-3 deficit, the Blue and Gold scored twice in the bottom of the third on another two-run single by Ruggiero. With runners on first and second, senior relief pitcher Rob McLaughlin (Plymouth, MA) rung up the last batter to end the threat.

McLaughlin would hold Worcester State off the board with three consecutive frames of one-hit relief as he would strand runners on the corners in the fourth and a man on first in the fifth. He would give his team a chance to score what they would need to earn the triumph.

The Rams crossed home plate three more times in the top of the fourth to open up a 9-5 lead. Colon had a sacrifice fly and then the visitors would score twice more with two outs on an RBI double by Acevedo and then Blydell drove in his fourth run of the contest by getting plunked at the plate.

Worcester State would touch up McLaughlin in the seventh on an RBI double by sophomore Joseph Carlier (Rockland, MA) and an RBI single by Ubele to make it a 9-7 contest, but he would freeze the final batter of the game with a curveball to earn his second win of the season. He would finish with three punch outs.

Osburn (1-1) shouldered the setback on the mound for the Lancers. Osburn yielded six runs (one earned) on six hits to go with a pair of walks. He would not record with a strikeout in his first start of the season.

The Blue and Gold actually outhit their counterparts, 12-9, in the opener. Ubele led the way with a 3-for-4 performance while Carlier, Osburn and Ruggerio each had two hits apiece. Carlier, Osburn and junior Kurt Sabacinski (Worcester, MA/St. Peter-Marian) also finished with two runs each.

In addition to Iafolla's perfect line at the plate, Mainini was 2-for-3 out of the ninth slot in the order.

Both squads will play again at 3:30 on Wednesday in non-conference affairs. Worcester State heads to Cambridge to take on MIT as the Rams will entertain Elms at Bowdich Field.