Mass. Maritime Splits with Westfield, Falls to Worcester State

In a weekend of frigid, windblown doubleheaders, the Massachusetts Maritime Academy baseball nine could only muster a split with visiting Westfield State.

Thanks to senior righty Keith Sanchez - who pitched a complete-game gem in spite of an injury - the host Buccaneers cruised to a 9-1 victory in the opener of Sunday's doubleheader. Mass. Maritime's bats' were alive as well, with key hits coming from just about every player in the lineup, including a backbreaking two-RBI double from freshman Terrence Mudie (Barnstable, MA), a double from Matt Pelletier and a 2-4 performance from senior first baseman Ben Maher. Sanchez also made two exceptional defensive plays to help himself out.

In the nightcap, though, the table was turned on the host Bucs as the Westfield Owls plate eight runs to Maritime's one. Starting righty Daniel Avery took the hard-luck loss and Chris Gallagher and Chris Mullin finished the game out, with both Gallagher and Mullin posting shutout innings of relief.

Westfield sophomore righty Pete Liimatainen, a West Barnstable native, upped his record to 2-1 on the season with six rock solid innings of work. He allowed just one unearned run.

In Saturday's doubleheader with Worcester State, Mass. Maritime was ahead 2-0 before Worcester came back 3-2 and then added an insurance run later in spite of stellar pitching from the hosts.

In the nightcap, Mass. Maritime had a chance for a walkoff win but it was too little too late as the visitors edged the hosts, 5-4. Aidan Desrosiers had two hits and sophomore Everett Walsh (Marstons Mills, MA) laced a triple and double in the effort.

Mass. Maritime welcomes 24th-ranked Tufts to Commodore Hendy Field tomorrow (Monday, April 7). The Buccaneers now stand at 8-8 on the season and are 1-3 in conference play (MASCAC).

Mudie, Walsh and Liimatainen all played for the Barnstable Post 206 American Legion team that is the two-time defending Massachusetts AMerican Legion State Champion.