Trailblazer bats go silent as they are swept by Rams

Courtesy of Framingham Athletics 

Framingham, Mass. – The Framingham State University baseball team received a near perfect game from junior Matt DiCato (Winthrop, Mass.) and six innings of one hit ball from sophomore Ryan Bowen (Hudson, Mass) as the Rams swept MCLA by scores of 6-0 and 6-0 in Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) baseball action this afternoon at Bowditch Field.

With the sweep the Rams improve to 6-4 in the conference and 13-18 overall, while the Trailblazers fall to 1-9 in the MASCAC and 2-21 on the year.

DiCato hurled a gem in the opener holding the Trailblazers hitless and without a base runner through six and two thirds innings.  DiCato, who improves his season record to 5-1, struck out four and allowed only one ball out of the infield, a fly ball to center in the third, through the first six innings.

Chase Preite (North Adams, Mass.) broke up DiCato's bid for a perfect game when he worked a walk with two outs in the top of the seventh and DiCato lost the no hitter a batter later when junior Cody Weaver(Highland, NY) laced a single to left center.

The Rams grabbed the early lead in the bottom of the first as sophomore Cameron Couillard (North Andover, Mass.) and senior Justin Forman (Watertown, Mass.) led off the inning with back-to-back singles.  Junior Anthony Iafolla (Medfield, Mass.) moved the runners over with a sacrifice bunt and senior Will Crofton (Hopkinton, Mass.) followed with a fly ball to left that scored Couillard.

Crofton pushed the Rams lead to 2-0 in the bottom of the third inning with his second sacrifice fly to left of the game this time scoring Forman who had singled earlier in the inning.

Framingham State added three more in the bottom of the fourth to push their lead to 5-0.  The Rams loaded the bases on a walk, an error and a hit by pitch and Iafolla followed with a two out bases clearing double to left.

The Rams added one more in the bottom of the sixth on a sacrifice fly to deep center by Iafolla to reach the final margin.

Iafolla went 2-for-2 at the plate in the opener with four RBI, while Crofton drove in a pair on two sacrifice flies.  Forman also finished the game 2-for-2 with two runs scored.

Bowen was equally impressive on the mound for the Rams in game two as he improved his season record to 4-4.  Bowen surrendered just one hit, a single to Alon Willing (Altamont, NY) in the third inning, in six innings of work while walking three and striking out six.  Freshman Patrick Holden (Stoneham, Mass.) came in the seventh and worked an inning of scoreless relief.

The Rams grabbed the lead in the bottom of the second inning of game two.  Couillard blooped a single to right scoring freshman Jake Wardwell (Hudson, Mass.) who reached on a bunt single.  Forman followed with a fly ball to shallow left that the left fielder covered a lot of ground to reach but the ball bounced off his glove allowing the Rams second run of the inning to score. Iafolla singled to center driving in the Rams final run of the inning.

Framingham State tacked on three more in the fourth on RBI base hits from Forman and sophomore Matt Gerard (Milford, Mass.).

Benoit picked up the loss for the Trailblazers going four innings and allowing six earned runs on 11 hits with two walks.  Jared Gersch (Highland, NY) and Ryan Shook (Pittsfield, Mass.) each worked an inning of scoreless relief.

Forman and Couillard each went 3-for-4 at the plate in the nightcap with a run scored apiece and Forman driving in a pair and Couillard one.  Iafolla chipped in a pair of hits, while junior Ivan Colon (Waltham, Mass.) scored twice.

The two teams are back in action tomorrow with another set of MASCAC doubleheaders.  The Rams travel to Salem State with the first game beginning at 2 p.m., while the Trailblazers host Westfield State for a pair of games with the first pitch at 2 p.m.