Westfield State seniors, left to right: Jesse Bylin, Carolyn Connolly, Kesley Ninteau, Lynsay Wray, Rachael Cardin, Karen Dowe. (Photo by Olivia Marshall)
BRIDGEWATER – The Westfield State University women’s outdoor track and field team turned in a strong second place showing at the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference championships last weekend.
Worcester State nipped Westfield State for the team title, 222-210, Saturday. Bridgewater compiled 109 points and Fitchburg finished with 86.
The Owls of veteran coach Sean O’Brien placed first in eight events and earned runner-up finishes in nine events, led by record-setting performances from two relay teams.
The 4 x 400 relay squad shattered the school record with a first-place clocking of 4:03.62. Record-setting relay members were sophomore Karly Maloney, junior Cassidy Noonan, junior Marie Gulino and freshman Meghan McNamara. The previous school record of 4:06.82 was established in 2006.
The Owls’ 4 x 100 relay team finished second but it broke a school record that had lasted 30 years. Westfield’s quartet of junior Amy Campbell, sophomore Kat Palso, junior Megan Faunce and Maloney was clocked in 49.74. The previous school record of 50 seconds flat was set in 1983.
“The relays ran really well and the competition in the conference keeps getting better,” said O’Brien. “We have depth this year as we used some athletes we normally do not run in the relays.”
The 4 x 800 relay captured the MASCAC crown with a time of 10:08.92. Relay members were: Carolyn Connolly, Lynsay Wray, Olivia Marshall and Jenn Holley.
Tying her own school record with a winning height of 10-8 in the pole vault was junior Amy Auclair.
Setting a conference record in the shot put was freshman standout Naloti Palma, who heaved the steel ball 40-7 3/4. She also took top honors in the discus (126-0). Westfield’s other individual champions were: senior Rachael Cardin in the 800 meter run (2:19.06), Marshall in the 3,000 steeplechase (12:18.02), and junior Alex Livingston in the hammer throw (141-8).
Earning runner-up finishes with fine efforts were: Gulino (400, 59.75), Connolly (800, 2:21.89), Cardin (1500, 4:50.58), McNamara (100 hurdles, 15.60), Kelsey Garvey (steeplechase, 13:07.47), Caitlyn Croke (high jump, 4-11), Palso (long jump, 17-3/4), and Karen Dowe (triple jump, 35-3 ¾).
The New England Alliance championships were held in conjunction with the MASCAC meet and included Little East Conference schools.
Alliance champions from Westfield were Auclair in the pole vault and Palma in the shot put. Palma placed second in the Alliance discus event, while Cardin was second in the 800 and third in the 1500.
MEN’S RESULTS
Paced by the outstanding first-place performances of senior Tom Gauger in the pole vault and long jump, the Westfield State University men’s outdoor track and field team placed second in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference championships on April 27.
Bridgewater State edged Westfield State for the team title. The Bears scored 217 points, followed by Westfield (195), Worcester State (154), Fitchburg State (49), and Mass. Maritime (31).
Gauger, a two-time All-American in the pole vault, won his specialty by clearing 15-9 ¼, a new conference record. Gauger had set the previous conference mark of 15-3 at last year’s championships.
Gauger also made a rare appearance in the long jump and surprised the field with a winning jump of 22-4 ¼, edging Worcester State standout Duy Truong (22-2 ½).
Westfield placed first in four events in the MASCAC championships and posted nine runner-up finishes. Also earning titles were senior Brendan Corcoran in the 400 (50.04) and freshman Travon Godette in the javelin (176-4). Corcoran also finished third in the 800 (1:56.24).
Junior sprinter Zack Madera placed second in two events with fine times of 11.17 and 22.71 in the 100 and 200 meter dashes. Westfield’s other two-time runner-up was freshman Tim Shea in the 5000 (15:50.31) and 10,000 (33:15.81) meter runs.
Also placing second were: Anthony Frissora (1500, 4:00.4), Mike Kelleher (3000 steeplechase (9:48.04), 4 x 400 relay (3:24.05), Bobby Fitzgibbon (high jump, 6-4), and Zack Delisle (pole vault, 14-1 ¼).
In the highly competitive 4 x 100 meter relay, the Owls placed a close third in 42.72.
The New England Alliance championships were held in conjunction with the MASCAC meet and included Little East Conference schools.
Gauger also dominated the Alliance competition with his first places in the pole vault and long jump. He was Westfield’s only Alliance champion.
Finishing second in the Alliance were: Madera (100), Shea (5000), and Kelleher (steeplechase). Placing third were: Godette (javelin), Delisle (pole vault), 4 x 400 relay, and 4 x 100 relay).
Matt Ferrilli is tagged out attempting to score from second on an outfield single in the seventh inning. (Photo by Nick Villante)
BASEBALL
WSU 10, Curry College 2
A six-run outburst in the first inning and a 15-hit attack powered Westfield State University to a 10-2 victory over Curry College in non-conference baseball on April 28.
It was the regular season finale for both teams, which begin conference tournament play on Thursday, May 2. Westfield (16-19), the No. 3 seed in the MASCAC, hosts Mass. Maritime. Curry (8-22-2) is the No. 6 seed and plays at Commonwealth Coast Conference regular season champion Western New England University.
The Owls sent 11 batters to the plate in the opening frame and ripped six hits to take at 6-1 lead. The big hits were a runscoring triple by Pat McWilliams, a two-run single by Kyle Colesanti, and RBI doubles by Tyler Adams and Jeremy Tanguay.
Curry scored singles runs in the first two innings on an RBI single by Sam Barron and an RBI ground out by J.J. Gonzalez. The Owls scored a run in the seventh on another Tanguay RBI double.
Westfield scored twice in the eighth on Nick Champeau’s sacrifice fly and an RBI single from Colesanti. The Owls tallied their final run in the eighth on Matt Ferrelli’s RBI single.
Colesanti led the 15-hit barrage by going 3 for 5 to raise his batting average to .373; he had three RBI and two runs scored. Tanguay was 3 for 4 with two doubles and two RBI. Adams was 2 for 4 with a double and Dan Rokitowski and Kevin Greene both rapped two singles.
Tanner Givens collected two of Curry’s seven hits.
Westfield threw six pitchers in the game; they combined for four walks and three strikeouts as the Owls did not commit an error for the second straight game.
