Box Score SPRINGFIELD, Mass.--Junior Steve Ambrosino went 3-for-5 with two runs batted in to lead three Golden Bears with multi-hits as Western New England defeated visiting Westfield State 10-3 in a non-conference baseball game at Pat Ricci Field at Trelease Park on Wednesday. The Golden Bears are now 20-8 on the season after winning their 14th game in the last 17 outings. The Owls drop to 12-15.

Sophomore right-hander Trevor Breton scattered 10 hits in six innings to improve his record to 4-1, allowing two runs and getting five strikeouts against one walk. Senior Kevin Jefferis, WNE's third pitcher of the day, tossed two scoreless while giving up two hits and striking out three to pick up his fourth save.

Western New England was able to get on the board in the first inning on a two-run single by designated hitter Steve Buckley (1-4, 3 RBI), and then again in the fourth when freshman catcher Tim Budd came around to score on a throwing error by Westfield pitcher Joe Alibrandi.

"This was a good team win today. A lot of guys were able to contribute," said Western New England coach Matt LaBranche, who has piloted 14 of the program's 19 20-win campaigns. "Repeating the 20-win plateau is a source of pride."

The Owls responded with two runs of their own in the top of the fifth on a two-run single by center fielder Kevin Greene, pulling within 3-2.

Western New England used a five-run eighth inning to turn a close 5-3 game into a comfortable seven-run advantage. Center fielder Jeff Schult (2-3, 2 R, RBI, BB) got things started by crushing a triple to left center, scoring Budd from first. A few batters later, left fielder Taylor Perun picked up two RBI on a single to center field, giving the Golden Bears a 9-3 lead. Ambrosino capped off the outburst with a RBI single, scoring shortstop Kyle McKelvey and upping WNE's run total to 10.

"I also was pleased with some of the subtle things we did this afternoon that made a big difference," LaBranche said. "McKelvey and (Tim) Clark turned two nice double plays in the third and fourth to get us out of trouble. The runs we manufactured in the fifth with the double steal figured prominently."

In addition to Ambrosino, the Golden Bears were led offensively by Schult, Buckley and Perun (2-5, 2 RBI).

Westfield pitchers struggled with their control, walking seven and hitting six Golden Bears. Owls starter Dan Whigham (0-1) was tabbed with the loss, going only three innings before being pulled in favor of Alibrandi.

Although Westfield scored only three runs, the first six hitters in their lineup all had multi-hit days. The Owls were paced offensively by leadoff man Pat McWilliams (3-5), Greene (2-4, 3 RBI) and designated hitter Nick Champeau (2-4).

Western New England is next in action on Friday, when it heads to Eastern Nazarene for a Commonwealth Coast Conference doubleheader. The Golden Bears will then return home for another CCC doubleheader on Saturday against Roger Williams. Following its loss, Westfield State returns home for a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader with Fitchburg State on Saturday.