By Jim Fenton

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State University baseball team opened the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference tournament with another impressive offensive performance.

For the 19th time this season, the Bears scored in double figures, pulling away from sixth-seeded Worcester State University in the late innings, 16-7, at Alumni Park on Thursday afternoon.

BSU (24-14) continues the double-elimination portion of the tournament Friday at 3 p.m. when it plays at top-seeded Salem State University (22-13). The Vikings handed fourth-seeded Westfield State an 8-0 loss.

The winner of the BSU-Salem State game earns a spot in the championship round on Saturday afternoon while the loser plays an elimination game at 11 a.m. Saturday.

Worcester State (11-27) plays at 11 a.m. on Friday against Westfield State in Salem in an elimination game. The Lancers had knocked third-seeded Framingham State out of the tourney Thursday, 3-1.

The Bears, who are seeking an unprecedented third straight MASCAC tourney title, averaged 9.5 runs per game during the regular season and kept the offense rolling against the Lancers.

BSU held an 8-7 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh before scoring two runs in that frame and six more in the eighth to seal the win.

The Bears had 17 hits with Scott Emerson (Peabody, Mass.) going 3-for-5, scoring five runs, stealing three bases and driving in two runs. Emerson broke his own single-season record for runs scored as he now has 58 runs on the year eclipsing the previous mark of 57 set in 2023. Emerson also has 82 stolen bases in three seasons with the Bears, four shy of BSU Hall of Famer Ed Grueter's all-time program mark of 86.

Ryan Flaherty (Duxbury, Mass.) went 3-for-6 and drove in three runs while DJ Prampin (Worcester, Mass.) was 3-for-3.

Kevin Lindsay (East Bridgewater, Mass.) had two hits and drove in a pair of runs. Jay Wladkowski (Norwood, Mass.) added a pair of hits.

Matthew Seavey (North Attleboro, Mass.) improved to 8-0, allowing four runs and seven hits in 5 2-3 innings. Michael Cobb (Waltham, Mass.) recorded his second save as he tossed 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief.

Seavey is the second BSU pitcher since the 2000 campaign to start the season with a win in eight straight decisions. He joins former teammate David Kerns who went 8-0 in 2022.

Worcester State, which committed seven errors, had 10 hits with Anthony Iamarone (Providence, R.I.) and Tom Halliwell (Leominster, Mass.) getting three hits each and Colin Fitzgerald (Auburn, Mass.) adding two.

Losing pitcher Danny DiMassimo (Pittsfield, Mass.) fell to 2-1, allowing eight runs and 11 hits in five innings.

The Lancers took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when Frankie Hernandez (Framingham, Mass.) singled home Kevin Doyle (Bridgewater, Mass.) with two outs.

Doyle reached on an infield hit, went to second on a sacrifice by Ryan Jewett (Natick, Mass.) and stole third before Hernandez singled to right.

The Bears tied it with two outs in the bottom of the first on an RBI single by Steven Simon (Hanover, Mass.).

Emerson led with a single up the middle and stole second. Simon brought him home with a single past the dive of second baseman Jeremy DeLacruz (Tampa, Fla.).

The Bears took their first lead in the third inning when they scored twice.

Emerson doubled to right-center, went to third on a single by Lindsay and scored on an error on the play. Flaherty doubled home Lindsay.

The led went to 4-1 in the fourth when Emerson reached on a fielder's choice after a single by Joe Frechette (Plymouth, Mass.), stole second, went to third on an error and scored on Lindsay's single to right.

Worcester State moved within 4-2 in the fifth on a sacrifice fly by Hernandez, scoring Doyle, who reached on a walk.

The Bears scored four in the fifth inning to take an 8-2 lead.

After singles by Mathew Pigeon (Canton, Mass.) and Prampin, Joshua Selander (Granby, Conn.) singled to right for a run. An error on a fielder's choice by Frechette brought in the second run.

Emerson added an RBI single to left and another error on a fielder's choice by Lindsay scored the last run of the inning.

The Lancers scored two in the sixth and three in the seventh to move within 8-7.

In the sixth, Ryan Jewett (Natick, Mass.) and Tyler Smith (Leominster, Mass.) drew bases-loaded walks.

In the seventh, Fitzgerald delivered a two-run double to right-center and Jewett had a sacrifice fly.

But BSU took control in the seventh and eighth. Lindsay drove in a run in the seventh with a sacrifice fly and Flaherty had an RBI single through the right side.

In the eighth, Simon walked and Wladkowski single to right before a sacrifice bunt by Pigeon.

Prampin singled for one run and an error on a ball hit by Selander scored another. Prampin scored on a wild pitch and Selander came home on an error.

BSU and Salem State will be meeting for the fourth time this season with the Vikings holding a 2-1 advantage. The Bears won the series opener in early April, 9-3, before losing, 5-1 and 8-7.

BSU has now won 15 of its last 19 games since early April.