BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – The Bridgewater State University baseball team downed visiting Western New England University, 8-3, on Friday afternoon in non-conference action at Alumni Park.

The host Bears improve to 18-12-1 on the season with the victory.  The win marked the 497th in the 20-year coaching career of BSU skipper Rick Smith (497-269-15, .648).  The Golden Bears, who received votes in the latest American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Division III Poll, slip to 25-9 overall.

BSU rookie right-hander David Holmes (Easton, Mass.) went the distance on the hill to pick up his third win of the season.  Holmes (3-0) scattered nine hits, did not walk anyone and fanned three as he threw 102 pitches.

Trailing 1-0, the Bears exploded for six runs in the bottom of the third as they sent 11 batters to the plate.  David Pierce (East Bridgewater, Mass.) started the scoring as he ripped a bases-loaded, two-run single.  Sean Riley (Fairhaven, Mass.) made it a 3-1 score one batter later on an RBI ground out, and Trevor Lawson (Easton, Mass.) followed with an RBI single scoring Pierce from third.  After a walk to Keane Costa (Fairhaven, Mass.), Lawson would come around to score two batters later on Deleo's run scoring single.  A Western New England error would account for the final run of the inning.

The Golden Bears would cut the deficit to 6-3 in the top of the fifth on a bases loaded, two-run double off the bat of Mike Rubino (Northford, Conn.).  Holmes, however, would keep the visitors off the board the rest of the way as he retired 13 of the last 15 batters he faced.

Bridgewater would tack on two more runs in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI single by Pierce and a bases loaded walk to Lawson to round out the scoring.

Pierce paced the Bears' 11-hit attack as he finished 3-for-5 with a run and three RBI.  Lawson went 2-for-4 at the plate with a run and a pair of RBI, while Tory Buck (Shelburne Falls, Mass.) also rapped out two hits in four at bats while scoring a run.

Jeff Richardson (Simsbury, Conn.) suffered the loss on the mound for Western New England as he allowed seven runs (six earned) on eight hits in five plus innings.  Richardson (2-3) walked three and struck out two.

Kyle McKelvey (Schenectady, N.Y.) and Tim Clark (West Springfield, Mass.) each went 2-for-4 to lead the Golden Bears.

Both teams have conference doubleheaders on the agenda for Saturday afternoon.  Bridgewater travels to Framingham State University for a MASCAC twinbill with the Rams starting at one.  Western New England entertains Gordon College at noon in a pair of Commonwealth Coast Conference games.