Sports

Coast Guard Academy Advances To ECAC Semifinals

Bears defeat Worcester State 7-4

The Coast Guard Academy baseball team is advancing to the Eastern College Athletic Conference after defeating Worcester State State University on Wednesday. The following information was provided by the Coast Guard Academy Athletic Department:

Sophomore Cameron Carroll’s RBI single in the top of the ninth broke a 4-4 tie and started a three-run rally as sixth-seeded Coast Guard tied the single-season school record for wins with a 7-4 victory over third-seeded Worcester State in the first round of the ECAC Division III New England tournament at the Coast Guard Academy.

Coast Guard (21-15), tied the single-season school record of 21 wins set in 1994 and won a postseason game for just the second time in program history with the other coming in the first round of the ECAC tournament in 2002.

The Bears will take on seventh-seeded Anna Maria in the semifinals on Saturday at top-seeded Endicott at 3 p.m. Anna Maria upset second-seeded Brandeis 8-5.

Carroll’s single to left scored classmate Mike Massaro who was hit by a pitch to leadoff the inning. Sophomore Joe Petry’s two-run single to center gave the Bears a 7-4 lead.

Coast Guard used an RBI double from Massaro to take a 1-0 lead in the top of the first and the Bears added two runs in the third on an RBI ground out by Massaro and an RBI single by senior Graham Sherman for a 3-0 lead.

Worcester State (23-15) got two back in the third, both unearned, on a sacrifice fly by senior Nick Fluegge before another run scored on a passed ball.

The Bears added a run in the sixth on a sacrifice fly by sophomore Tyler Babkiewich for a 4-2 lead.

The Lancers tied the game 4-4 with two in the seventh again scoring on a sacrifice fly, this time by sophomore Chris Creen, before tying the game on a passed ball.

Sophomore Derek Petty pitched seven solid innings for Coast Guard and scattered six hits and allowed just one earned run while walking five and striking out five.

Senior Jesse Karr (5-4) pitched a scoreless eighth to pickup the win while sophomore Tyler Vieira allowed a single and struck out three in the ninth to nail down his eighth save of the season extending his own single-season school record.

Sophomore Nick Bonofiglio started for the Lancers and went 6 1/3 innings and allowing eight hits and four runs, all earned, while walking four and striking out eight. Sophomore closer Shaun Slattery (3-3) gave up the three runs in the ninth to take the loss.

Sophomore Eric Gerken was three for four for Coast Guard while Sherman and sophomore Nolan Gallagher each added two hits in the win for the Bears.

Senior Cory McDonald, the MASCAC Player of the Year, closed out his career by going 3 for 3 with two runs scored while junior Joe Eramo and sophomore Kurt Sabacinski each added two hits for the Lancers who finish the season 23-15.

The win was just the second postseason win for Coast Guard as In 2002, sixth-seeded Coast Guard recorded its first postseason win, a 2-0 win over third-seeded Mass. College in the opening round of the ECAC tournament before falling to host WNEC 5-4 in the semifinals.


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