BSU Baseball Update
Sports are back for the Bridgewater State Bears after being canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With the remainder of last spring being cancelled and both the fall and winter seasons being canceled, it was nice to have spring sports after a year off.
Here is an update on the teams first two weekends of action.
Thursday, March 18
The Bears baseball team played its first game since March 13, 2020, last Thursday against the Eastern Nazarene Lions at Libby Field in Weymouth, MA.
BSU scored two runs in the first inning when Designated Hitter, Colin Josselyn, hit a two-run single scoring freshman third baseman, Joey Millis, and senior right fielder, Luke Tamulevich.
In the second inning, Eastern Nazarene scored four unearned runs off of four BSU errors to make the score 4-2.
Besides the second inning BSU junior starting pitcher David Kerns had a strong outing, pitching five innings and striking out seven batters while allowing six hits. Freshman relief pitcher Harrison Loud made his BSU debut by pitching a scoreless inning with a hit, walk, and two strikeouts.
Eastern Nazarene stopped a rally by BSU when Junior Patrick Cashin was pinch running for Junior Johnathan O’Donnell who reached on an Eastern Nazarene error. Patrick Cashin was thrown out at home plate for Nazarene’s second out, and soon after Freshman first baseman Dan Saraceno flied out to center field to end the rally and the game for the Bears.
BSU lost 4-2 in a seven-inning game as rain canceled the last two innings.
Saturday, March 20 (Doubleheader)
BSU continued their series against Eastern Nazarene at BSU’s Alumni Park with a doubleheader on Saturday, both teams split 1-1.
Game 1
BSU Junior, Matt Josselyn, got the start on the mound. Josselyn got off to a strong start for the first three innings allowing no runs, and just two hits while striking out two batters in those three innings.
In the 4th inning, Josselyn allowed two unearned runs after BSU dropped a fly ball.
In the 5th inning, the Junior allowed two earned runs before he was taken out for Freshman relief pitcher, Guy Quartarone. Soon after, Quartarone threw a wild pitch and when he tried to stop the run he collided with Eastern Nazarene’s Hunter Leroux-Porter and the two were injured.
The Freshman had to be replaced with sophomore relief pitcher, Jake Graham. Graham would allow three more earned runs in the inning, totaling six runs for the Eastern Nazarene in the fifth inning.
The bleeding slowed down for BSU in the remaining four innings after allowing five runs over the next four innings. In the final three innings, BSU scored four runs but the Bears lost 13-4 to the Eastern Nazarene Lions in Game 1 of the doubleheader, with this contest going the full 9 innings.
Game 2
Colin Josselyn got the start for BSU. The first three innings were scoreless, similar to game 1. In the top of the fourth inning, Mike Griffin of Eastern Nazarene reached base on an error and then proceeded to score on a Joshua Bombard single, making it an unearned run.
When BSU batted in the bottom of the fourth inning, freshman utility player, Cam James, hit a two-run home run for the team’s first of the long-awaited season.
In the top of the fifth inning, Eastern Nazarene attempted to tie the game, but BSU would turn the double play to stop the rally.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, freshman catcher Joe Frechette singled for their first hit of the inning. He then reached second on a sacrifice bunt by freshman second baseman Kevin Lindsay.
Frechette would eventually score an unearned run, after Luke Tamulevich drove him in on a sacrifice fly. The game would end after seven innings and Colin Josselyn would pitch a complete game with 2 hits, an unearned run, 4 hits allowed, and 6 strikeouts. The Bears would go on to win 3-1 against the Lions for the final game of the series.
Saturday, March 27
Bridgewater State Bears baseball team played a doubleheader against the Worcester State Lancers. The Bears were coming off a 1-2 series last weekend against Eastern Nazarene.
Game 1
Junior pitcher, David Kerns, started on the mound for the Bears. The starter allowed three runs, eight hits, and struck out four batter in 5 2/3 innings.
Worcester State broke the scoreless tie in the fourth inning when Sean Devin hit a two-run single.
They went on to score an unearned run in the sixth inning, when Mike Chaves Jr. reached on a error and then he scored on a Chris Ausiello single.
Worcester State won, 3-0 in seven innings.
Game 2
Wrapping up the doubleheader, Junior pitcher, Matt Josselyn, started on the mound for the Bears. He gave up just two runs on four hits, while allowing two walks and striking out two batters.
BSU scored first in the fourth inning when senior outfielder Luke Tamulvech scored off a sacrifice fly from freshman third baseman Joey Molis. Matt’s brother Colin, relieved him in the sixth inning and retired all three batters, including one via a strikeout.
Worcester State went on to defeat BSU, 2-1 in seven innings.
BSU is set to face off against the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) in a four-game series next weekend. BSU will be having games at home on Friday and then traveling all the way to North Adams on Saturday for the second part of a home and home weekend series.
