WESTFIELD – Salem State University has earned the top seed in the 2013 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference Baseball Championships, which begin with single elimination first round play on Thursday, May 2nd and continue in a double elimination format from Friday, May 3rd through Sunday, May 5th, as this year’s tournament field has expanded from four to six teams.
Thursday’s single elimination first round games will feature third-seeded Westfield State University hosting the sixth-seeded Massachusetts Maritime Academy at Alumni Field in Westfield, Mass. beginning at 3:00 p.m. EDT, while fourth-seeded Worcester State University will host fifthseeded Bridgewater State University at Rockwood Park in Worcester, Mass. beginning at 3:30 p.m. EDT.
The Worcester State-Bridgewater State winner will advance to take on Salem State in the second round opener of the double elimination portion of the championships on Friday afternoon at Alumni Field in Salem, Mass. beginning at 3:00 p.m. EDT, while the Westfield State-Massachusetts Maritime winner will advance to take on second-seeded Framingham State University at Bowditch Field in Framingham, Mass. beginning at 4:00 p.m. EDT.
The tournament continues on Saturday morning at Salem State’s Alumni Field with the double elimination format beginning at 10:00 a.m. EDT, with the championship round set for Sunday afternoon beginning at Noon EDT, as the 2013 MASCAC champion receives an automatic berth in the NCAA Division III Championships.
Salem State captured its first MASCAC regular season crown since 2006 by winning 12 of 14 conference contests, as the Vikings enter postseason play with a 22-13 overall slate under the guidance of Head Coach Mike Ward. Senior Kevin Salines (Melrose, Mass.) leads Salem State at the plate with a .370 batting average to go with eight doubles and 18 RBI, while senior Ryan Sharp (Townsend, Mass.) paces the Vikings on the mound with a 5-0 mark and a 3.89 earned run average.
Framingham State posted 16 overall victories, including a 9-5 league slate, under Head
Coach Brian Blumsack, and the Rams are led at the plate by senior Justin Forman (Watertown, Mass.), who is batting .364 with seven doubles and 18 RBI, while junior Matt DiCato (Winthrop, Mass.), the MASCAC Pitcher of the Year, sports a 6-1 mark with a 1.95 ERA and two saves.
Westfield State claimed 16 regular season victories, including an 8-6 slate in MASCAC action, under Head Coach Ray Arra this spring, and the Owls are paced at the plate by senior Andrew Medeiros (Acushnet, Mass.), who is batting .393 with 13 extra base hits (7 doubles, 3 triples, 3 homers) and 25 RBI, and 15 stolen bases in 16 attempts. Junior second baseman Kyle Colesanti is batting .373, and senior Kevin Greene is hitting .333 with team highs of 10 doubles, 7 triples and 27 RBI. Greene has eight stolen bases in nine attempts.
Worcester State collected 18 victories, including an 8-6 league mark, under Head Coach Dr. Dirk Baker, as sophomore Zach George (Attleboro, Mass.) leads the conference with a .416 batting average that includes 10 doubles and 18 RBI. Senior Alex Teal (Malden, Mass.) has recorded five wins and a save on the mound for the Lancers with a 1.37 earned run average that ranks second in the MASCAC to date.
Bridgewater State enters the tournament with a 19-13-1 overall mark, including an 8-6 league slate, under Head Coach Rick Smith, and senior Sean Riley (Fairhaven, Mass.), last year’s MASCAC Player of the Year, leads the Bears with a .392 average that includes five homers and 30 RBI, while junior Patrick Martin (Rockland, Mass.) sports a 5-2 mark with a 1.81 ERA on the hill.
Massachusetts Maritime rounds out this year’s championship field, as the Buccaneers of 41-year Head Coach Bob Corradi are making their first-ever conference tournament appearance. Sophomore Bobby Rosano (North Reading, Mass.) ranks second in the conference with a .398 batting average that includes nine extra-base hits and 20 RBI, while sophomore T.J. Notarangelo (Foxboro, Mass.) is 3-1 with a 3.40 earned run average.
Bridgewater State captured the 2013 MASCAC Baseball Championship with a 10-1 win over Salem State in the title game.
