Baseball Sweeps Mass Maritime, 14-10 and 6-0

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Worcester, MA --- The Worcester State University baseball team took both ends of a twinbill against Mass Maritime this afternoon in MASCAC action at the Lyons Baseball Diamond. They held on for the 14-10 edge in game one before recording the 6-0 triumph in the nightcap.

The Lancers (14-17, 6-4 MASCAC) wasted little time jumping out to an early 5-0 lead after the first frame of game one.

Senior Kurt Sabacinski (Worcester, MA/ St. Peter Marian) started the outburst with a two-out double to right field.

Sabacinski then crossed home with the games first run when sophomore Zach George (Attleboro, MA) followed with a two-bagger of his own before he scampered home. Classmate Rob MacDonald (Waltham, MA) followed with an RBI triple down the right field line for the 2-0 edge.

After an infield single, senior Nick Gezotis (Westfield, MA) blasted a double to right center plating two more runners. Gezotis capped off the frame when third-year Dan Ubele (Tyngsboro, MA) singled up the middle for the 5-0 score.

The Blue and Gold broke the game wide open in the bottom half of the third when they put up an eight spot for a 13-0 advantage. The inning was highlighted with a Sabacinski run producing double, a two-run single to right by Ubele, and an RBI triple to right by George.

The Buccaneers (7-16, 3-7 MASCAC) got a lift in the top of the fourth in the form of a lead-off homerun to left center by senior Tyler Genereux (Duxbury, MA) which sparked a nine-run outburst helping the visitors climb right back to make it a game again.

Junior Matt Pelletier (Bradford, MA) contributed a two-run double and Genereux added his second long ball of the frame with a three-run shot later in the inning to highlight the surge and make the score 13-9.

Mass Maritime added an unearned run in the following frame to get to within three runs, but that was as close as they got as WSU added an insurance run in the sixth for the 14-10 final.

Senior Nick Bonofiglio (Worcester, MA/ Holy Name) went the distance on the bump for the hosts.

Bonofiglio (2-4) settled down nicely after the fourth, only allowing one hit and one unearned run over his final 3.2 innings of work, finishing the day allowing 10 runs (eight earned) on 11 hits with one walk and eight punchouts.

Second-year Zacary Cooney (E. Bridgewater, MA) was tagged with the loss. Cooney (0-3) went two plus innings allowing eight earned runs on nine hits without issuing a free pass and fanning one.

Freshman Kyle Kennedy (Woodbury, CT) was strong in relief for the Bucs, tossing the final 3.1 innings allowing one run on three hits with one walk and a pair of strikeouts giving the visitors life and keeping the game in reach.

Sabacinski finished the contest with a trio of doubles, scoring two runs and driving in one. George ended a homerun shy of the cycle collecting a pair of RBI's and scoring three times.

MacDonald was a perfect 3-for-3 crossing home a trio of times and driving in two. Ubele collected four RBI's and scored one run with three singles at the dish.

Gezotis and sophomore Cody Osburn (Sacramento, CA) each collected a pair of hits and runs scored to round out the multi-hit performances for the Lancers.

Genereux ended the game with a pair of homers while driving in four and scoring twice and junior Bob Lee (Braintree, MA) finished with a trio of hits including two doubles with a run scored and an RBI for Mass Martime.

Worcester State outslugged the Buccaneers, 17-11, in the opener for their most base-knocks in a seven inning doubleheader this season.

WSU once again opened the scoring in the bottom half of the first inning in game two. Second-year Steve Wallace (Auburn, MA) started the frame with a single and came around to score on Sabacinski's ground-out to third for the early 1-0 lead.

Sabacinski knocked home another run with a single in the third, scoring sophomore David Ruggiero (Peabody, MA), who reached on a double.

The Blue and Gold added a trio of runs in the fifth on a pair of run producing singles and a sacrifice fly Osburn and one more in the sixth on a Wallace RBI safety to drive in Ubele.

Senior Alex Teal (Malden, MA) was outstanding as he scattered five hits and registered his sixth complete game of the season. Teal (5-4) issued just one free pass and fanned 10.

Teal now leads the MASCAC in strikeouts (55), earned run average (1.33) and he is tied for the lead in wins.

Sophomore TJ Notarangelo (Foxboro, MA) absorbed the loss on the mound for Mass Maritime. Notarangelo (2-1) hurled the first 4.1 innings allowing five runs on seven hits with one walk and two strikeouts.

Osburn and Wallace collected two hits apiece each registering an RBI while Wallace also crossed home on a duo of occasions. Sabacinski collected two runs batted in to help pace a nine-hit attack.

Worcester State returns to action this Tuesday when they travel to Fitchburg State for a doubleheader starting at 2 PM and Mass Maritime has a quick turn around as they travel to Lasell tomorrow for a twinbill with first pitch scheduled for 12 PM.

Story By John Hanna --- Sports Information Graduate Assistant

Photo Left: Former Worcester State Sports Information Director Bruce Baker Says A Few Words About Head Coach Dr. Dirk Baker In Celebration Of His 400th Win (April 9 versus Brandeis)

Photo Right (Left to Right): Junior Joe Carlier, senior Nick Gezotis and classmate Kurt Sabacinski help Dr. Dirk Baker Officially Celebrate his 400th Win