WORCESTER, Mass. -- Junior classmates Tyler Ferreira and Dave Billotte along with sophomore teammates Keane Costa and Jose Polanco all tallied three hits apiece as #3 Bridgewater State defeated second-seeded Worcester State, 18-5, this evening at Tivnan Field in the opening round of the MASCAC baseball tournament.
The Bears (21-14) move on to the winner's bracket game at 1 PM on Saturday against top-seed and host Westfield State. The Lancers (22-13) will play Salem State at 9:30 in the losers bracket elimination game.
The previously four accounted for 10 of BSU's 18 runs and 12 of their 18 base-knocks. Sophomore David Pierce and classmate Tyler Dennis both added two hits apiece for the visitors.
Billotte actually reached base in each of his six plate appearances with three hits, two walks and he was hit by a pitch on the final occasion.
Sophomore Chris Creen and junior Kyle Wilson were both 2-for-4 to lead the Blue and Gold.
Bridgewater State opened the contest with an eight spot in the first inning as they took advantage of a pair of miscues in the inning. Costa, Billotte, Polanco and sophomore John Garabedian all had RBIs in the frame while Dennis had a two-run single before the inning ended.
The Bears would tack on another run in the top of the second to make the score 9-0 on a sacrifice fly by Polanco.
Worcester State stopped the bleeding when they pushed across a run in the bottom of the third. Junior Jack Rafferty reached on a double and then he would cross home plate on an error in the infield.
After Bridgewater State recorded runs in the top of the fourth on a wild pitch and an run-producing ground-out by Polanco, the Lancers would score twice more to make it an 11-3 contest with RBIs from Wilson and junior Joe Eramo.
The Bears would effectively put the game out of reach by outscoring the hosts by a 7-2 margin in the final five innings. Ferreira highlighted the attack with a two-run homer in the sixth and then Pierce tacked on a solo shot in the eighth.
Worcester State registered solo runs in the seventh and ninth on RBI's by senior Paul Rodriguez and classmate Nick Fluegge.
Junior Corey Baptista was dominant as he went the distance and set a new school record in the triumph. Baptista allowed five runs (two earned), scattered 10 hits, issued two free passes and he fanned 12. Baptista also had 11 outs that were scooped up on the ground.
Baptista (6-2) now has eight complete games this year, passing the previous mark that was held by both Kevin Cadres and Tim Hart, who each accomplished the feat in back-to-back seasons in 2001 and 2002.
Baptista's 72 strikeouts are also now the third-most in one season. Should Bridgewater State extend its' season, Baptista has a chance to pass Mike Marini (89 strikeouts in 1998) and Cadres (96 in 2001).
Senior Chad Kasik was dealt the setback for Worcester State. Kasik (5-3) went the first three innings yielding nine runs (three earned) on seven hits while he walked one and punched out one. Kasik also plunked two batters.
Sophomore Kyle St. Thomas, sophomore Matt Brown and Joe Piscitelli combined for the final seven frames for WSU. The bullpen would allow the final nine runs (five earned), 11 hits, three walks and four strikeouts.