By Jim Fenton
BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The connection was made during the summer of 2021 when he was pitching for the Bourne Mariners of the Cranberry League.
Matthew Seavey (North Attleboro, Mass.) was moving on from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth after spending two years there and was considering options.
His teammates with the Mariners that summer included Joe Frechette (Plymouth, Mass.), who had just finished his freshman season on the Bridgewater State University baseball team.
Frechette, along with a couple of former Bears' players, let Seavey know that BSU would be a good landing spot for him.
So Seavey transferred to Bridgewater State in the fall of '21, ready for a fresh start.
Now in his third season pitching for the Bears, it wound up being a sensational move for Seavey.
A graduate student who majored in business management, Seavey has put together an 18-6 record with a 2.50 earned run average in 31 games with 30 starts.
Seavey was named to the All-Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference second team in both 2022 and 2023 when BSU won back-to-back championships. He also earned D3baseball.com All-Region Two Third Team honors in 2022.
This season, Seavey is 7-0 with a 2.77 ERA heading into the final weekend of the regular season as he is second in the MASCAC in wins (tied for 24th in Division III) and third in ERA.
The tip he received while playing in the Cranberry League has benefited both Seavey and BSU.
"I didn't know where I was going to go," said Seavey, thinking back to the summer of '21. "I didn't even know if I was going to go play college baseball after that.
"I wasn't looking for anywhere else to go and Bridgewawter kind of fell into my lap. Sometimes I do look back. I always like to say, 'Right place, right time. Those guys really opened my eyes and helped me realize there is a spot possibly at Bridgewater. They said, 'We think you would thrive there and have good success there.'
"I trusted their word and they weren't wrong."
Seavey helped North Attleboro High win the state Division 2 championship when he was a junior in 2018 and after graduating went to UMass Dartmouth.
COVID wiped out the season his freshman year in 2020 and there was a partial season in 2021. Seavey appeared in two games as a sophomore, going four innings.
He decided to leave UMass Dartmouth, saying, "It just wasn't the right fit for me at the time."
Frechette and the others on the Mariners pointed Seavey in the direction of BSU where he moved right into the rotation in 2022, going 7-3 with a 1.89 ERA in 11 starts. He struck out 62 in 66 2-3 innings and teams hit just .170 against Seavey.
The Bears' pitching staff was led by David Kerns, who was the 2021 MASCAC pitcher of the year, and Matt Josselyn, who won the same award in 2023.
"Matty and Dave really helped guide me into that starting role and set a great example," said Seavey. "That was the year Matty had his 40 consecutive scoreless innings and Dave was coming off the pitcher of the year and I was lucky enough to just hop in for the ride."
Josselyn, Kerns and Seavey formed a one-two-three punch again in 2023 when the Bears went back to the NCAA Division 3 tournament.
Seavey was 4-3 with a 2.92 ERA in 11 games with 10 starts, striking out 55.
With Josselyn and Kerns finishing their eligibility last season, Seavey is the leader of the rotation this spring.
He has started nine games and teams are hitting .215 against him. Seavey is scheduled to pitch Friday at Alumni Park when the Bears open an important three-game series against Westfield State University.
"The first time I ever saw him, it was in the fall (of '21) and I saw that he was a big kid who could throw pretty good," said coach Greg Zackrison. "We were excited because we already had a pretty good staff. It was an excess of riches with him to go with Matt and Kerns.
"He throws pretty hard. He's a competitor. The progression he's made is that he's helping the younger guys. He came in and had some pretty good leaders and what he does now is help the younger pitchers."
Seavey credits Zackrison and pitching coach Ian Searles with helping in his development during the three seasons at BSU.
"Coach Zackrison is an amazing coach, very lucky to have him," said Seavey. "When I talked to him, it really opened my eyes that there is more to baseball. It's great playing for him.
"Coach (Searles) really helped me gain confidence in a lot of my pitches and with the game plan. He's truly been a huge help since I've been at Bridgewater. He constantly gives information, comes up with game plans on how to be effective and ultimately win games."
Seavey has piled up the wins in his three seasons and will reach a career high with one more victory.
"I've felt pretty much the same on the mound every year," he said, "but I'm just gaining more confidence as I go.
"I wouldn't say I've gotten so much better, but more mature. My baseball IQ has gone up. I understand the game a lot more. When I first came in, it was all about 'I want to strike everyone out. I want to do all this.' Now it's to the point what can I do to help my team?"
BSU and Westfield are 12-6 in the MASCAC, .021 behind first-place Framingham State (11-5) with Salem State a game back at 11-7 going into the final days of the regular season.
Seavey could be matched up against Westfield State's Ryan Lapierre (8-0, 1.38 ERA) on Friday before the teams play a doubleheader in Westfield Saturday.
"Westfield has always been a tough competitor and a powerhouse," said Seavey. "It's going to be a really good series especially with playoff implications. It's truly going to be very important."
Seavey's next start after that will be next week in the MASCAC tournament as his career winds down.
"I'll remember all the memories and friendships and relationships I've built," he said. "(Wins) are always nice, but at the end of the day, you don't remember the wins and losses. You remember the championships and memories you built with friends. Those are things that last a lifetime."