Framingham State takes two against Baseball completing weekend sweep
FRAMINGHAM, Mass.—Framingham State completed a three-game weekend series sweep taking two from MCLA at Bowditch Field in MASCAC baseball action this afternoon. The Rams held off the Trailblazers 6-4 in the opener while coming from behind with an 8-7 walk-off win in game two. With the sweep Framingham improves to 16-9 (7-2 MASCAC) while MCLA drops to 7-17 (1-8 MASCAC).
Game One Framingham State 6 MCLA 4
Down 6-0 in the top of the 6th MCLA loaded the bases on three consecutive singles before a fourth by Ty Mazzeo (2-for-4, RBI) would score Randy Adams (2-for-2, HR, 3 RBI) to put the Trailblazers on the board. With the bases still loaded and no outs, Framingham State starting pitcher James Gilleran (W, 4-1) locked in and proceeded to strikeout the next three batters mitigating the damage to just one run.
MCLA would continue to battle in the top of the 7th as an Austin Rachiele double and Clarence Givhans single would set the stage for a Randy Adams 3-run homer to cut the Ram lead to 6-4 with no outs. But as he had done in the 6th, Gilleran was able to rebound and retire the next three Trailblazers to end the game.
Shane Costello (2-for-4, RBI), Ryan Boyle (2-for-3, RBI) and Matthew Shaver (1-for-3, 2 RBI) led the Framingham offensive attack. In addition to pitching a complete game allowing 4 runs on nine hits and striking out 10 batters, Gilleran also went 1-for 3 from the plate including an RBI double in the bottom of the 5th.
MCLA staring pitcher Bryan Rosario (L, 3-5) also went the distance allowing six runs (five earned) on nine hits.
Game Two Framingham State 8 MCLA 7
An RBI double by Steven Burbank (1-for-2, 2 RBI) followed by an RBI single by Ryan Boyle (1-for-2, 2 RBI) would give Framingham a 2-0 lead after three innings of play but in the top of the 4th MCLA would get one back on a Noel Medina (3-for-4, 4 RBI) single to right that brought home Rachiele (1-for2, HR, 3 RBI).
The Trailblazers would keep it going in the 5th as Rachiele would blast a 3-run shot over the center field fence driving in Brady Hamel (1-for-3) and Justin Hernandez (1-for-2) to make it 4-2. Later in the inning another Media hit, this time a double, would score Givhans (1-for-2) to give MCLA a 5-2 lead after four-and-a-half.
The Rams would load the bases and get two back in the bottom of the 5th and another in the bottom of the 6th, all on sacrifice flies, to tie the game at 5-5.
Another two-RBI double by Medina in the top of the 7th would drive in Hernandez and Givhans to give the Trailblazers a 7-5 lead, but disaster would strike for MCLA in the bottom half when a walk, an error and three hit batsmen, would give Framingham the 8-7 walk-off win.
Framingham's Anthony Panza (W, 2-0) pitched just two-thirds of an inning but was credited with the win while Givhans (L, 0-2) took the loss for the Trailblazers pitching only a third of an inning.
League play continues for both teams next as Framingham State travels to Salem State for a twin bill on Monday and MCLA hosts Westfield State tomorrow at 3pm.