Baseball Takes Pair From Fitchburg State At Home, 3-2 and 11-2

Worcester, MA --- Freshmen classmates Jeff Bolio (Oxford, MA) and Cody Osburn (Fair Oaks, CA) combined for nine hits and five runs to help Worcester State sweep Fitchburg State, 3-2 and 11-2, in MASCAC baseball action this afternoon at Kevin Lyons Baseball Diamond.  

Bolio finished the doubleheader going 4-for-6, with three runs, two RBIs, a pair of triples and a home run while Osburn collectively went 5-for-7 with two runs and six RBIs. 

The Lancers now improve to 12-23 overall and 4-8 in the conference while the Falcons slip to 8-26 on the season and 2-10 in the MASCAC.

In the opening contest, it was scoreless until the fourth inning until the Blue and Gold would score twice  when Osburn drove home junior Kurt Sabacinski (Worcester, MA/St.Peter Marian) and sophomore Joseph Carlier (Rockland, MA) on a single to centerfield.

Fitchburg State was able to get one run back in the top of the fifth with back-to-back doubles by junior teammates Mike Szajner (Leominster, MA) and AJ Silberman (Meriden, CT) cut the deficit in half. 

The Falcons would tie the score 2-2 in the top half of the sixth as third-year Cody Bamforth (Vernon, CT) hit an RBI-single up the middle to plate classmate Chris Rivera (New Britain, CT).

Worcester State was able to push across the go-ahead run in the bottom of the sixth inning.  Bolio led off with a triple to left-center and after Sabacinski drew a walk, Carlier belted a double in the right-center gap for the 3-2 lead.

FSU had a runner in scoring position in the top of the seventh inning with one out, but WSU first-year pitcher DJ Colbert (Somersworth, NH) struck out the final two batters to end the game.

Colbert picked up his first collegiate win as he went the distance on 89 pitches. Colbert (1-4) allowed two earned runs on four hits while he fanned six and gave up just two walks.

Fitchburg State junior Pat Mercier (Townsend, MA) was charged with the loss (2-4). Mercer tossed six innings in the losing effort and yielded three runs (two earned) on five base-knocks and he finished with two walks and a pair of punch outs. 

Carlier had the only multi-hit game in the opener as he went 2-for-3 with one run scored and the game-winning RBI. 

In the nightcap, Worcester State grabbed the early first-inning lead and never looked back.  The Lancers scored five runs in the bottom of the frame including a two-run home run by freshman David Ruggiero (Peabody, MA) – the first of the season for WSU – to grasp the 5-0 advantage.

Prior to that homer, WSU was the only team in Division III baseball to have yet to hit one out of the park.

The Lancers would tack on two more in the second stanza as Bolio scored on a dropped fly ball and Sabacinski was plated by Osburn with a single to right field to claim to 7-0 lead.

Bolio added to the WSU cushion in the bottom of the third inning as he hit a towering two-run homer over the right field fence to add to the 9-0 edge.

The Falcons scored their only two runs of the contest in the top of the fourth.  Rivera reached on an error to lead off the inning and scored on the next at-bat as Bamforth jacked a double down the left field line.  Bamforth advanced to third on the throw from the outfield and scampered home on the next play as junior Matt Zajac grounded out to second base, making the score 9-2.

WSU added their final runs of the contest in the bottom half of the fourth starting with a triple by Osburn to bring in Carlier.  Two batters later, sophomore Dan Ubele (Tyngsboro, MA) hit a sacrifice-fly to centerfield to score Osburn.

First-year Joe Perlak (Chicopee, MA) earned his first career triumph in the win for the Lancers. Perlak (1-3) spotted the ball well as he would need just 69 pitches for the complete game. He allowed two runs (one earned) and scattered five hits to go with one strikeout and two free passes.

Falcons senior Frank Yavorosky (Westminster, MA) was tagged with the setback as he surrendered seven runs (five earned) on seven hits in his 1 and 2/3 innings of work. He was relieved by junior Zachary Bombria (Bolton, CT) who finished the contest and gave up four earned runs on eight base-knocks. Yavorosky and Bombria combined to strike out four while neither allowed a base on balls.

Bolio, Carlier, Osburn, Ruggiero, Ubele, and junior Nick Gezotis (Westfield, MA) all had multi-hit games for the Lancers who held the 15-5 edge in the hitting department.  Fitchburg State did not have any multi-hitters.

Osburn was 4-for-4 and Bolio was 3-for-3 while the other four batters chipped in with two safeties each. The respective blasts for Bolio and Ruggierio were the first of their careers.

Both teams will take breaks from the conference schedule in their next games.  The Blue and Golf with host Newbury on Wednesday at 4 o'clock as the Falcons entertain Becker on Thursday for a 3:30 PM start. 

Release By Jim Sarkisian – Sports Information Assistant