One Big Inning Not Enough for Lancers to Topple MCLA

Worcester, MA- The Lancer baseball team looked to continue their early conference success at home this afternoon against the MCLA Trailblazers, but a nail biter would end in defeat. After picking up two of three last weekend against Salem State, the Lancers dropped their first MASCAC game of the weekend by a score of 5-4. 

Senior Ben Smith (Bourne, Mass.) toed the Lyons Diamond rubber for game one of the three game series that will continue tomorrow in western Massachusetts. Through 6.1 innings, Smith gave up five runs, all earned, striking out seven while surrendering 10 hits. Senior Brett Buckin (Lynn, Mass.) came on to pitch in relief and spun 2.2 innings of scoreless baseball to hold the Lancers within one. Bucklin was able to work around a one-out, bases-loaded jam in the top of the ninth to give Worcester State a shot at tying it up in the ninth. 

Though unable to come out on top, Worcester State did hold a lead over the Trailblazers momentarily. After MCLA put a run on the board in both the second and third inning, the Lancers responded with a big bottom of the fourth. All four runs Worcester State pushed across came in that inning. 

A senior Zach Landry double (Bourne, Mass.) moved senior Chris Ausiello (Tyngsboro, Mass.) from first to third, and with a pair of men in scoring position sophomore Xavier Quezada (Providence, R.I.) plated Ausiello and moved Landry up a station to third. Senior Zack Roberts (Northbridge, Mass.) continued the momentum with an RBI single, and then stole second to once again get Lancers on second and third. A sophomore Tyler Smith (Leominster, Mass.) sacrifice fly brought Quezada home, and junior Tom Halliwell (Leominster, Mass.) capped the inning off with an RBI double to make the score 4-2. 

Unfortunately, MCLA responded in the top of the fifth with a couple runs to knot the game up at 4-4, and scored what would become the deciding run an inning later. The Lancers did threaten with a baserunner in the bottom of the ninth, but were unable to come back and force this one into extras. 

A double header beginning at 3 pm tomorrow at Joe Wolfe Stadium will decide the MASCAC series between MCLA and Worcester State. Both teams headed into today's battle with 6-11 records. Tomorrow MCLA will start off at 7-11 (1-3 in conference), while Worcester State is now 6-12 (2-2 in conference).