Baseball Hits Four Home Runs in Sweep of MASCAC Twinbill at MCLA

North Adams, Mass. - The Framingham State College baseball team opened up the Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference (MASCAC) season with a pair of victories as they defeated the MCLA Trailblazers 11-4 and 4-3 in extra innings this afternoon in North Adams.  The Trailblazers fall to 3-8 on the season and 0-2 in the MASCAC, while the Rams, winners of three straight, even their record at 8-8 and 2-0 in conference.

In game one Danny Chaison (Watertown, Mass.) hit two home runs and drove in five runs as Framingham broke open in a close game in the top of the fifth. 

MCLA had a chance to break it open in the first, but squandered the opportunity. John Ripepi (Amsterdam, NY) and Rick Massey (Cheshire, Mass.) walked and Eddie George (Falls Church, VA) was hit by a pitch loading the bases with nobody out. Framingham starter Charlie Spear (Exeter, NH) was able to get Paul Procopio (Pittsfield, Mass.) to foul out to first and induced a double play off the bat of Osiris Mendez (Queens, NY).

Trailblazer starter James Greeley (Auburndale, Mass.) pitched very well before running into trouble with Chaisson in the fifth. The junior hit his first of two home runs with Will Crofton (Hopkinton, Mass.) and Corey Ketterer (Plymouth, Mass.) aboard.

Spear picked up the win for the Rams despite having runners on all afternoon as he went six innings allowing four hits and with seven walks, but allowed only one earned run. Daniel Tomasz (Newburyport, Mass.) had three hits for the Rams as did Crofton.

Greeley took the loss giving up six earned in six innings. Procopio had a couple of hits including a double. Tim Burns (Pittsfield, Mass.) reached base safely three times and Ken Recore (Averill Park, NY) was on twice.

Game two was similar offensively for MCLA, the Trailblazers had three hits in the first inning, but could only push across one run on a Procopio RBI single scoring George.

MCLA starter Sean Hermance was in trouble early, but after giving up two runs early and a homer to Joe Sheehan he settled down nicely and kept the Trailblazers in the game.

The Trailblazers were down 3-1 in the fifth when back to back singles by George and Procopio gave them runners on the corners with one out. A fielder’s choice by Mendez scored one and two batters later Mendez scored on bases loaded wild pitch tying the game at 3. Vince Bordin walked reloading the bases with two down, but Tim Burns was tagged out by the pitcher on a grounder near the chalk that was ruled fair by the home plate umpire.

The score would stay that way till the bottom of the seventh, the Trailblazers would again load the bases, but a Ripepi grounder would end the threat.

In the eighth Sean Callahan (Watertown, Mass) would hit the Rams fourth homer of the day, putting the Rams up 4-3 and that was the difference in the game.

Mike Cain (Gloucester, Mass.) picked up the win in relief. Tomasz had three more hits in game two and Sheehan had two including the homer.

Hermance took the loss pitching into the eighth allowing four runs. Procopio had two more hits on the afternoon. Massey, George and Mike Meaney (North Adams, Mass.) had two hits apiece, while Meaney had a double and also walked.

Framingham hosts UMass-Boston on Tuesday, while the Trailblazers will travel to Springfield College on Monday.