Box Score NEWPORT, R.I.--Despite getting the lead and outhitting Framingham State 4 to 3, Western New England was not able to hold on in a 4-1 loss to the top-seeded Rams in the Eastern College Athletic Conference New England Division III Baseball Semifinals held at Salve Regina University on Saturday. The fourth-seeded Golden Bears end their season at 19-19 while Framingham advances to the Finals with a 27-18 overall record.
Box ScoreWestern New England struck first in the top of the sixth inning. Junior
Chris Casey walked with one out, advanced to second on a ground out and then stole third base. With senior
Matt Anziano at the plate, Casey scored on a wild pitch.
Junior catcher
Matt Calzone led the Golden Bears with two hits as the only multi-hit performance for either team. Calzone recorded the first hit for WNE but was thrown out at the plate trying to score on a high chopper to third. Sophomore
Daniel Morin added a double and junior
Doug Milne had a single.
Junior
Tom Mahoney, WNE's starter on the mound, took the loss going eight solid innings while giving up three hits, four runs (3 earned) and striking out seven. He held the Rams hitless through the first seven innings, but the Rams' bats came alive in the eighth with four runs on three hits.
Framingham State starter Zack Kirby threw a complete-game, striking out seven to pick up his seventh win of the season.
The 'Bears threatened to add-on in the seventh when Morin doubled after a dropped foul fly. Morin was then caught off second after a fielder's choice comebacker to Kirby. Calzone then singled and advanced to second to put runners on second and third base, but Kirby forced a flyout to end the threat.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, Ryan Connelly laced a two-run double down the left field line to put the Rams ahead to stay, 2-1. Mark Mainini gave Framingham two insurance runs with a two-run double to right. R.J. Gray doubled to start the rally, collecting the team's first hit off Mahoney in the process.
The Rams advance to play the host and No. 2 Seahawks (Sunday, noon) who edged No. 3 Mass Maritime, 4-3, in today's other ECAC New England semifinal.
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(Editor's note: Framingham State Athletics contributed to this game recap.)