Golden Bears Pull Away From Lancers, 7-1

DAVENPORT, Fla. – Worcester State led 1-0 into the sixth inning, but Wester New England rallied in the final three innings to pull away for a 7-1 victory over the Lancers in Spring Break baseball at Northeast Regional Park on Monday morning.

Freshman pitcher Jarret Morrill (Chelmsford, Mass.) pitched well in his first collegiate start, striking out 7 over six and a third inning of two-run ball.

Worcester State grabbed the lead with a single run in the top of the third and the game stayed 1-0 until the bottom of the sixth, as Morrill and WNE graduate student Kevin Hummer (Shrewsbury, Mass.) dueled on the mound.

Thomas DiBattista (Hudson, Mass.) singled to lead off the third and stole second, scoring on a sacrifice fly by Sean Devin (Lynn, Mass.).

WNE took back the lead on an RBI single by Jack Loftus (Hanover, N.H.) and a sacrifice fly by Ben Harrison (Newtown, Conn.) that scored Loftus, who had stolen third.

They tacked on another run an inning later when Paul Villecco (Cheshire, Conn.) singled through the left side to score Aaron Cole (Forestdale, Mass.), who had singled and stolen second with one out.

The Golden Bears broke the game open with four in the bottom of the eighth inning. Joe Webber (Marshfield, Mass.) made it 4-1 with an RBI single in the bottom of the eighth off of Danny DiMassimo (Pittsfield, Mass.). Villeco was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, and two more runs came across on a throwing error, one of three miscues by the Lancers in the game.

Hummer got the victory after a seven-inning performance where he struck out eight and allowed just one walk. Jared Kuryan (Madison, Conn.) earned his second save of the year after striking out five in two scoreless innings of relief.

After enjoying a day off in Florida, the Lancers will face another New England foe on Wednesday morning when they face Roger Williams at Lake Myrtle Sports Park. First pitch in Auburndale is set for 11:30 AM.