Baseball offense kept at bay by Lancer pitching
Williamstown, MA— The MCLA and Worcester State baseball teams started a doubleheader on Saturday. The games didn't get too far as the opener was halted after just one half inning of play. The two teams resumed the action this afternoon and then played game two of the twinbill. The games were played on the campus of Williams College and the Lancers took both contests by scores of 2-0 and 8-2. Worcester State evens their overall record to 9-9 and sits at 3-2 in the league. MCLA drops to 8-13 overall and is 0-5 in the MASCAC.
Game One: Worcester State 2, MCLA 0
The opening contest was a continuation from Saturday. MCLA batted in the top of the first inning on Saturday before rain halted the remainder of the contest. The game was picked up in the bottom of the first inning.
Thru three innings the game was scoreless as MCLA's Nathan Kumm and Worcester's Ben Smith were locked in. The Lancers would finally get to Kumm for a run in the bottom of the fourth. Michael Chaves was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and Sean Devin singled to put a pair of runners on. Sean Dutton would single home Chaves for a 1-0 Lancer advantage. Kumm stranded two runner on base as he recorded three straight out to keep the deficit to a minimum.
Worcester would tack on another run as they took advantage of an MCLA miscue to increase the margin to 2-0. Trailblazer Joseph Cambareri relieved Kumm and got out of further damage.
The Lancers wasted a golden opportunity to put the game away in the sixth inning, but Cambareri and the Trailblazer defense responded to keep MCLA In it.
MCLA would get two runners on with two outs in the seventh against Smith. With runners at the corners, pinch runner Bryan Rosario stole second to put the tying runs in scoring position. Smith would settle down and strike out David Lane to end the game and give the Lancers the win.
Smith went the distance recording 8 strikeouts. He allowed just four hits in the shutout.
Kumm went 4+ innings for MCLA allowing just a pair of hits and both runs. Cambareri tossed two scoreless innings out of the MCLA bullpen.
Game Two: Worcester State 8, MCLA 2
In the nightcap, Worcester State pushed a two out run across in the first against MCLA starter Bryan Rosario. The lead was short lived however as MCLA tallied twice in the second inning using a Lancer miscue and a Tristan Ciarlo single to take a 2-1 lead.
Worcester tied things up in the third inning against Rosario to make it 2-2 and the game remained that way until the sixth.
Worcester State loaded the bases and then attempted a squeeze bunt. The bunt sailed over first baseman Randy Adams' head for a hit and the Lancers led 3-2. After a sacrifice fly brought home another run the Lancers ripped three straight hits as the lead grew to 8-2. From there, the Worcester bullpen was solid.
Reliever Danny DiMassimo tossed two scoreless innings in relief of Lancer starter Joey Zawisza. DiMassimo didn't allow a hit in his two innings of work.
MCLA was held to just five hits in the game. Rosario was saddled with the loss.
The Trailblazers have a quick turnaround as they head to Rivier tomorrow night for a non league tilt.