Baseball Splits With The College Of New Jersey To Open Florida Trip

Auburndale, FL --- Worcester State drew a split with The College of New Jersey this afternoon in non-conference baseball action to start of their spring training trip.

Behind a pair of base-knocks by senior Jake Sanderski (Millbury, MA) and sophomore David Ruggiero (Peabody, MA), the Lancers posted a 7-3 eight-inning victory in the first game before they were blanked in the second contest, 3-0.

In the opener, the Lions (3-7) produced a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the first. Following a botched sacrifice play by Worcester State, senior Scott Kelly (W. Windsor, NJ) and freshman Mark Mari (Bayonne, NJ) both crossed home plate on an errant throw in the infield, three batters later.

The Lancers eventually responded in the top of the fifth when WSU scored a trio of times to go up 3-2. Sanderski drove in freshman Steve Wallace (Auburn, MA) and sophomore Cody Osburn (Sacramento, CA) with a two-run double before he came around to score on a misplayed ball that got by the first baseman.

Lion junior Paul Searles (Homdel, NJ) helped TCNJ answer with a single run to equalize the score 3-3 on an RBI double after a two-out free pass was issued to sophomore Michael Murray (Stewartsville, NJ).

Worcester State came right back went up by a score on a run producing by Ruggiero. Second-year Jeff Bolio (Oxford, MA) was plunked to start off the top of the seventh and then he moved into scoring position on a sac bunt.

With the game on the line in the last of the seventh, The College of New Jersey knotted up the contest at 4-4 on a single through the left side of the infield by freshman Garen Turner (Hainesport, NJ), who took advantage of a walk issued by Lancer starter Nick Bonofiglio (Worcester, MA/Holy Name).

But the Blue and Gold took the lead for good in the extra frame with a trio of runs in the top of the eighth.

With two outs, Wallace and Osburn reached base on walks before Bolio was hit by the pitch for a second time to load the bases. Junior Dan Ubele (Tynsboro, MA) then came through in the clutch as he hit a chopper that wasn't fielded correctly by the pitcher.

In an attempt to get the final out at first base, the pitcher tried to get the runner hustling up the line, but his throw missed the fielder, went into right field and the Lancers netted three unearned runs for the 7-4 lead.

Junior Rob MacDonald (Waltham, MA) tossed a hitless bottom of the eighth to nail down his first save since joining the Lancers after he transferred in from Mass Bay Community College.

Senior Joe Piscitelli (Oxford, MA) earned his first win of the campaign as he got out of a bases-loaded situation in the bottom of the seventh. Bonofiglio gave his team a chance by putting up zeros from the second through the fifth innings with the early two-run deficit.

Bonofiglio finished yielding four runs (two earned) in 6 2/3 innings on five hits to go with four strikeouts, three walks and one hit batter.

Freshman William Worswick (Mountainside, NJ) absorbed the setback (0-1) as he started the top of the eighth and allowed the winning runs to cross the plate.

In his third start of the season, senior Robert Graber (Franklin Lakes, NJ) dominated by pounding the strike zone, but ran into trouble in the later innings. Graber went the first seven frames giving up four runs (three earned) on six hits while he walked two and fanned eight men.

There were no multi-hitters for The College of New Jersey as both squads were even in the base-knocks category, 6-6 in a wild affair that saw five fielding errors between the two teams.

In the finale, the contest was dominated by two outstanding individual performances on the mound.

Building off a strong start against SUNY-Purchase two weeks ago, Worcester State senior Alex Teal (Malden, MA) shut down a solid line-up by hurling six scoreless innings.

Teal stranded six in scoring position – including runners at second and third and no outs in the second and a man at third with just one out in the sixth.

Freshman Steven Volpe (Cherry Hill, NJ) impressed by matching the effort with six scoreless frames of his own. He set down 17 of his first 22 batters through the bottom of the sixth as he left two in scoring position in the second and third frames.

The Lions finally snapped the shutout in the top of the seventh with three runs and two men down. Mari drew a walk and then first-year Patrick Roberts (Hillsborough, NJ) roped a single down the leftfield line to score Mari.

After Turner was brushed by a pitch to put runners on first and second, two more runs scampered across home plate on a two-run single by Murray.

Volpe (1-0), who entered the contest pitching just two innings in eight contests for the Lions this season, punched out the side to record his first collegiate victory with the complete game four-hitter. Volpe finished walking just one and six strikeouts.

Teal (1-1) was the tough-luck loser as he went 6 2/3 innings giving up three earned runs on nine base knocks to go with five strikeouts, two hit batters and one free pass.

Murphy was 3-for-4 with two RBIs for TCNJ as Mari and Roberts both chipped in with two safeties apiece. The Lions outhit the Lancers 9-4 in the nightcap triumph.

Worcester State will continue their Florida trip with William Paterson tomorrow at 5 o'clock while The College of New Jersey heads back up north. They travel to Bethlehem, PA for a 3:30 matchup with Moravian.