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 6^th 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 7^th 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 6^th, 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 5^th.

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 4^th 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 5^th 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 5^th and another in the bottom of the 6^th, all on sacrifice flies, to tie the game at 5-5.

Another two-RBI double by Medina in the top of the 7^th 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.