Western New England Scores Four Unanswered Runs in 5-3 Win over Suffolk

Golden Bears take the lead for good on Morin’s fifth inning RBI double

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – The Western New England University baseball team rallied from an early deficit with four unanswered runs, topping Suffolk University 5-3 this afternoon in non-conference action at Trelease Park.

Trailing 3-1 after two innings, the Golden Bears pulled even with two runs in the fourth before taking the lead for good on junior Daniel Morin's (Salem, N.H.) RBI double in the fifth. Western New England (10-3) added an insurance run in the seventh, and junior relief pitcher Jacques Boilard (Brimfield, Mass.) sealed the win with a perfect ninth, earning his first save of the season in the process. Suffolk drops to 11-4 with the loss.

Freshman lefthander Bob Hamel (Southwick, Mass.) got the start for the Golden Bears and improved to 3-0 after striking out six batters and allowing three runs over seven innings of work.

Freshman outfielder Erik Lacaire (Worcester, Mass.) led a balanced Western New England offensive effort with three hits, including a double, and drove in one run. Senior shortstop Kevin Marciano (Pepperell, Mass.) went 2-for-5 with one RBI and one run out of the leadoff spot, while classmate Doug Milne (Nesconset, N.Y.) reached base twice with a walk and a single. Making his first collegiate start, freshman Joe Cassella (Wallingford, Conn.) came up with a big hit in the fourth inning, cutting the Golden Bears' deficit in half with an RBI single to right field.

Sophomore Brady Chant (Warwick, R.I.) was one of six Rams to record a hit, and also drove in one of Suffolk's three runs with an RBI single in the second inning. Seniors Rob Marks (Revere, Mass.) and Drew Carter (Newburyport, Mass.) each reached base twice with a walk and a hit, while junior Matt Brenner (Eliot, Maine) and senior Jon Lapolla (Providence, R.I.) drove in one run apiece.

Senior righthander Kyle Turner (Nashua, N.H.) took the loss for Suffolk after allowing five runs on nine hits over 6.2 innings of work. Turner struck out six batters and walked two, falling to 1-2 this season.

Hamel retired the first two batters he faced this afternoon, but Suffolk put together a two-out rally to plate the game's first run as Lapolla came through with an RBI single to center field.

Western New England answered in the bottom of the first with a sacrifice fly by Milne, before the Rams quickly regained the lead the following inning. Sophomore Greg Speliotis (Salem, Mass.) drew a one-out walk and came around to score on Brenner's RBI double to right field, while Brady added an RBI single to center field later in the frame.

After a scoreless third, the Golden Bears put two runs on the board in the fourth, pulling even at 3-3. Lacaire doubled to center with one out, and Cassella followed with his first career RBI hit, driving in Lacaire with a single to right. Cassella then stole second and scored on a two-out RBI single by Marciano.

Morin gave Western New England a lead it would not relinquish in the fifth, as he delivered a two-out RBI double to center, scoring Milne. The Golden Bears put together another two-out rally in the seventh, tacking on one more run with Lacaire's single to right field, and junior righthander Matt Thomas (Plainville, Conn.) combined with Boilard to shut Suffolk down over the final two innings.

Western New England will be right back in action tomorrow at UMass Boston, before opening Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) play with a doubleheader at Gordon on Saturday. Suffolk will be back on the road tomorrow at Bridgewater State.