Baseball swept by visiting Owls

North Adams, MA- The visiting Westfield State University Baseball team scored 24 runs as they swept a doubleheader from MCLA this afternoon at the Zavattaro complex.  The Owls cruised to a 14-0 win in the opener before swinging their way to a 10-6 game two victory.  The Owls improve to 18-14-1 on the season but more importantly remain atop the MASCAC at 8-4.  The Trailblazers fall to 12-13-1 overall and sit at 5-6-1 in the MASCAC.

Game One:

The Owls got a complete game effort from starting pitcher Jamie Butler while Colin Dunn and Anthony Crowley supplied the offensive firepower as Westfield cruised to a 12-0 victory.  The Owls pounded out 17 hits led by Dunn who went 3-5 with four RBI's. 

Butler was solid as he went the distance allowing just five hits.  He struck out four Trailblazers.

Westfield took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning when Brett Dooley advanced to third on a Crowley single and came around on an outfield error.  After a scoreless second inning, the Owls erupted for five runs against MCLA starter Brandon Condon to take control.

Crowley got the rally started with a sacrifice fly scoring Tyler Beach and then Jared Ferrari stroked a single scoring Dooley to make it 3-0.  The big blow came from Dunn who drilled a three run homer to left giving the Owls a commanding 6-0 lead.

They would tack on four more runs in the fourth inning to increase the margin to 10-0.  Crowley's two run double was the key hit of the frame.  The Owls scored two more in the sixth and seventh innings to provide the final margin.

Crowley ended 2-3 with three RBI's and a run scored.  Alex Lafayette, Ferrari, and Tyler Beach all had two hits in the game.

Condon took the loss for MCLA dropping to 2-2 on the season.  He allowed ten runs but only five earned.  Joe Dimassimo had a pair of doubles to lead the offense.

Game Two:

The Owl bullpen came to the rescue in game two.  Westfield used three pitchers after starter Nate Barnes lasted just 1.1 innings and surrendered five runs.  Liam Neri was outstanding tossing 3.2 innings of one hit relief to earn the win.  Scott Strachan tossed a scoreless sixth inning and Tyler Tongue closed it out allowing a solo home run.

Both teams started hot at the plate in game two.  The Owls scored four times in the first off Trailblazer starter Bobby New.   Jamie Butler drilled a bases loaded double scoring Dunn, Crowley, and Alex Lafayette for an early 3-0 lead.  Kyle Murphy would single him home to make it 4-0 before MCLA came to bat.

In the bottom half, three straight singles, the last of which was from Christian Seariac cut it to 4-1.  A Brett LaBonte sac fly and a Logan Rumbolt RBI hit closed the gap to 4-3 after one inning. 

The Owls didn't slow down in the second inning.  Lippincott drilled a solo home run to right field to increase the lead to 5-3.  Crowley then doubled home Brett Dooley to increase the lead to 6-3. 

MCLA then chased Owl starter Nate Barnes in the bottom of the second.  Jeff Bink hit a grounder to short with the bases loaded, but an error allowed two runs to score and cut the lead to 6-4 and force a pitching change to Neri.  From there, the Trailblazers couldn't muster any offense.

Neri kept MCLA off the board during his time on the mound while the Owl offense kept the pressure on.  Another Crowley sac fly in the fourth added another run and then the Owls put the game out of reach with three runs in the sixth with Crowley once again playing a key role.

Colin Dunn drew a bases loaded walk for their first run of the frame and Aaron Clancy was plunked with a pitch to make it 9-4.  Crowley, at third base after being walked, then stole home off MCLA's Mark Morel to make it 10-5.

MCLA added a run in the seventh on a solo home run from Joe Toledo to account for the final score.

Lippincott and Dooley each had three hits to lead the Owls in game two.  Crowley drove in two runs from the cleanup spot.

Seven different Trailblazers registered hits in game two.