NORTHBORO, Mass. – The Bates College baseball team defeated Worcester State in two close games by scores of 3-2 (12 innings) and 4-3 Saturday afternoon at the New England Baseball Complex.
The Bobcats (2-6) travel to MIT for a doubleheader next Saturday. The Lancers (0-5) remain winless on the year.
GAME ONE: Bates 3, Worcester State 2 (12 innings.)
The Bobcats won the first game of the twin bill in a 12-inning thriller when sophomore Zach Avila (San Francisco, Calif.) hit an RBI single to plate sophomore Pat Beaton (West Newbury, Mass.), who had reached base on a triple to right center to begin the final inning.
Worcester State was the first team to reach the board in the bottom of the first when Kenan Kolanda hit his first home run of the season over the left field fence for the 1-0 Lancer lead. The Lancers would not record another hit until the bottom of the sixth inning.
Worcester State's starting pitcher Luke Brennan had a no-hitter going into the fourth inning until junior Dan Trulli (Melrose, Mass.) recorded Bates' first hit with a single up the middle. The inning concluded with a failed steal attempt and a pop-up to the pitcher.
Bates did not break through until the top of the seventh when Beaton hit home sophomore Kyle Carter (Plantation, Fla.) for a 1-1 tie game. However, Worcester State took back the lead in the flip side of the inning when Kevin Larkin was hit home on an RBI from Sam Allen.
In Bates' next at-bat, the Bobcats knotted the score at 2-2 on a Trulli RBI single to center field.
Great pitching and defense held the score at a tie until the top of the 12th when Avila recorded the game-winning RBI. Worcester State's lone base runner in the inning was caught stealing, and then next two batters were struck out by senior captain Jake Shapiro (Sandy, Utah) for Bates' 3-2 extra inning win.
Avila not only sent home the game-winning RBI in the 12th inning, but he also batted a perfect 2-for-2 with a run and a walk in game one. Trulli and Beaton also registered two hits for the Bobcats. Worcester State's offense was led by Larkin who recorded two doubles.
Bates' pitching staff allowed two runs on six hits. Senior captain and starting pitcher Connor Russell (Cumberland, Maine) pitched five innings and allowed three hits and struck out three Lancer batters. Shapiro earned the win in a 2 2/3 inning performance, allowing no runs on no hits and striking out five batters. The Lancers' starting pitcher Brennan registered nine strikeouts in the first six innings pitched. He also did not allow any runs on just three hits. Worcester State's closer Josh Boucher suffered the loss on the mound in one inning pitched.
GAME TWO: Bates 4, Worcester State 3 (7 innings)
In another close game, Bates came from behind, knotted the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the fifth on one hit and two Lancer errors, and Trulli hit a walk-off single in the bottom of the seventh for the 4-3 victory.
Worcester State began the game with a quick two runs on a two-RBI double from Pat Burke in the first.
The Lancers added to the scoreboard in the top of the fifth with an RBI double from Mike Ferrara.
Bates rallied back in the reverse side of the inning. Two runners reached base on fielding errors, then sophomore Will Sylvia (Newton, Mass.) walked to load the bases. Avila came up and singled to right field to plate senior Connor DiVincenzo (Westwood, Mass.) and Beaton. Sylvia scored on a wild pitch to tie the game at three.
The Bobcats won the game in the bottom of the seventh. They slowly loaded the bases on an error, fielder's choice, and an intentional walk. The next batter popped up for the first out, however, Trulli came through with the game-winning RBI on a shallow hit to right field, scoring sophomore Jon Lindgren (Plainville, Conn.) for the victory.
Junior Justin Foley (Lynnfield, Mass.) earned the win on the mound, allowing no runs on one hit while recording three strikeouts in two and two thirds innings.
