Baseball Uses Late Comeback to Defeat Becker, 7-5

Worcester, MA --- Junior Nick Gezotis (Westfield, MA) plated the go-ahead run to cap off a four-run eighth-inning rally to help Worcester State defeat Becker, 7-5, this afternoon in non-conference baseball action at Rochdale Park.

With the Lancers (10-21) trailing 4-2 entering the top of the eighth, sophomore Joseph Carlier (Rockland, MA), freshman Cody Osburn (Fair Oaks, CA) and classmate David Ruggiero (Peabody, MA) all reached on consecutive singles to load the bases.

Carlier then scampered home on a wild pitch before freshman Brian O'Connor (West Boylson, MA) plated the game-tying run with a slow rolling bunt single that stopped along the first base line.

That would set the stage for Gezotis' heroics, who reached on a fielder's choice, as sophomore Dan Ubele (Tyngsboro, MA) came in right behind him on a heads-up running play on a wild throw at first in an attempt to turn the double play.

With WSU nursing the 6-4 advantage they would added another run in the top of the ninth on an RBI single by Ruggerio for some breathing room.

The Hawks (15-14), however, would not go away in the bottom of the ninth quietly. With the shadows getting taller and the sun starting to dip, the hosts took advantage of an error and a walk before senior Weston Meehan (Thomson, GA) drove home a run to make the score 7-5.

A wild pitch would put runners at second and third with no outs, but junior Joe Piscitelli (Oxford, MA) would set down the bottom of the order to record his first collegiate save and leave the tying runs on base.

The contest was scoreless until the bottom of the sixth when Becker grabbed the 4-0 advantage on a two-run triple by junior Tom Natoli (Suffern, NY) and an RBI double by Meehan, who later came around to score on a passed ball. 

Worcester State promptly responded in the top of the seventh on a run producing triple by O'Connor and a solo base knock that drove home O'Connor by senior Jack Rafferty (Thompson, CT) to slice into deficit.

After junior Alex Teal (Malden, MA) then came out for the bottom of the frame, he would yield a single's to junior Todd Tompkins (West Haven, CT) and Natoli before a ground-out moved both into scoring position. Teal  then got out of the jam by fanning the next two batters to help set the stage for the uprising in the top of the eighth.

Teal evened up his record to 4-4 on the year as he picked up the win in relief.

Freshman Joe Perlak (Chicopee, MA) tossed the ball well – stranding four in scoring position early on, but wound up with the no decision after he went five-plus innings allowing a four runs (three earned) on seven hits with three punchouts and a pair of walks.

Sophomore Tony Cantalupo (DePere, WI) was tagged with the loss for Becker. Cantalupo (0-3) would come into the contest to end the seventh, but gave the game away in the eighth.

Freshman Brian Dowling (Naugatuck, CT) spun six innings of three-hit baseball before he gave up two earned runs on three base-knocks in the seventh and departed with runners on first and second. Dowling finished with four strikeouts and two free passes.

Ubele led the way for Worcester State with two hits and two runs scored while O'Connor, Ruggiero and Carlier also finished with two safeties each.

For Becker, Meehan and Tompkins both had 3-for-5 appearances at the plate as Tompkins crossed home twice and Meehan had a pair of runs driven in. Natoli was also chipped in with two hits and he had two RBIs.

Worcester State out-hit the visitors 13-10 as they snapped a three-game losing streak.

Both squads will play conference opponents on Saturday. The Lancers will host MASCAC Tournament Champion Bridgewater State in a twinbill starting at 12 PM, just before Kevin D. Lyons Field is officially dedicated.

The Hawks start a three-game series with Newbury as they visit Chestnut Hills, MA for a double-header starting at 11 AM at Boston College. Becker hosts the final game on Sunday at noon at Rochdale Park.