By Jim Fenton, The Enterprise (Brockton)

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- His win-loss record did not do justice to the type of season Bridgewater State University pitcher David Holmes had in 2015.

The Easton resident was 1-5 in eight games, including six starts, but he led the Bears with a 2.63 earned-run average and four complete games.

BSU scored a combined six runs in five of the starts Holmes made, and he lost a 1-0 decision to the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts after allowing only an unearned run in seven innings.

"Extremely frustrating,'' said Holmes, a former Enterprise All-Scholastic while at Oliver Ames High School. "I just couldn't get any run support.''

One year later, Holmes' record has flip-flopped and his ERA remains below 3.00.

Holmes is 5-1 with a 2.94 ERA and has two shutouts and three complete games heading into the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference tournament. He is tied for second in the conference in wins and is sixth in ERA.

The fifth-seeded Bears (16-18) were scheduled to play at fourth-seeded Westfield State (18-18) in today's tourney opener.

"It's awesome knowing I'm going to get a few runs,'' said Holmes, who was named to the All-MASCAC second team on Wednesday. "The big thing is defense. Our defense has gotten a lot better. I'd make the pitches last year and the play wouldn't be made behind me, which would lead to runs.''

Holmes, who graduates this month with a degree in physical education, began pitching for BSU as a freshman in 2013 when he made eight appearances and started four games, going 3-0.

He was used in MASCAC games as a sophomore, going 2-4 with a 3.38 ERA in nine games and has 11 complete games and four shutouts in four seasons.

"David has pitched very well for us,'' said coach Rick Smith. "He's a solid team leader. He's the go-to guy when we need something to happen. He's the guy you put out there to pump them all up.

"He's one of the hardest-working pitchers I've ever had. He's one of those throw-back kids. You've got to basically take the glove and ball away from him at the end of the day and tell him to go home. He just loves it.''

That competitive nature has always been a part of Holmes, who played for the Easton Huskies of the Cranberry Baseball League last summer.

In his final regular-season start against Framingham State, Holmes was nursing a 3-2 lead in the last inning when the Rams put two runners on. Holmes said he talked Smith out of replacing him and then got a game-ending double play.

"I'm very competitive,'' said Holmes. "Just always growing up, I wanted to win at everything. Even if me and my brother were playing something, we were always competitive back and forth. I think I hate losing more than I like winning.''

Holmes, whose uncle Bob Wooster is a former Bears assistant coach, has improved year by year since moving from OA to Bridgewater State.

"Part of my job that is most rewarding,'' said Smith, "is I get to see someone like David come in as a freshman, graduate in four years and mature to a level where he becomes that big-game pitcher for you.''

Said Holmes: "I think I've matured more. My stuff is pretty much the same, but I've learned how to approach batters and all that. I'm more experienced. I know what to expect, how to set up batters. I learned a lot from the older guys when I first came to Bridgewater, just talking to them.''

Once his senior season ends this month, Holmes will move on to a new chapter in his baseball life.

Holmes will be the head coach of the Easton-based Shoveltown Baseball Club, a 14-and-under AAU team.

"I want to stay involved,'' said Holmes. "Eventually, I'd like to coach high school or college. It's a way to get my foot in the door.

"I'm sure there are some things that will pop up that will throw me for a loop coaching. But I think about situations, what I would do if I was a coach, when I'm actually playing. I'm curious to see that side of it.''