Courtesy Westfield State Sports Information

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WESTFIELD, Mass. – Tournament MVP Corey McDonald (Hudson) drove in the game-winning run to lead Worcester State to a 3-2 victory over Westfield State in the MASCAC championship baseball game on Monday, May 10.

The Lancers, 31-9-1, clinched their fourth MASCAC tournament championship to earn a berth in the NCAA Division III national tournament that begins Wednesday, May 19.

Westfield, which owns a 30-9 record and is the MASCAC regular season champion, awaits a possible NCAA Tournament bid.

Led by McDonald, Worcester State won all three of its MASCAC tournament games, including a wild 15-14 victory over Westfield on Sunday. McDonald cracked a three-run homer to lift Worcester past Framinhgam, 7-4, in a first round game. He smacked a two-run ninth-inning homer for the eventual game-winning blow in the 15-14 triumph over Westfield.

In Monday’s championship game, McDonald produced his game-winning RBI – a sharp single up the middle on a 3-0 pitch – to give the Lancers a 3-2 lead.

Chris Creen (Worcester) opened the seventh with a ringing double to right-center field on the first pitch from Westfield reliever Jesse Vermeersch (Marlboro).

Creen advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on McDonald’s single.

Worcester opened the scoring in the third when TJ Magnell (Leominster) doubled off the glove of leftfielder Josh Blair at the warning track, then scored on a Creen single.

Westfield knotted the score in the fourth with two outs and the bases empty on three consecutive singles, including an RBI hit from Ben Wagner (Cumberland, R.I.).

Worcester quickly regained the lead on a double by Nick Caparell (North Attleboro) a Corey Abbascia (Shrewsbury) sacrifice bunt, and an RBI single by Magnell.

The Owls tied the score in the top of the seventh.  Jeff Fields (Pittsfield) singled to center field and advanced to third on a single through the left side by Kevin Lyons (Braintree). Fields scored on a Campbell sacrifice fly.

Westfield got a two-out single from Fields in its final at bat, but Lyons grounded out to second base to end the game.

Westfield out-hit Worcester, 12-8, including nine hits in the first five innings. But the Owls stranded 11 base runners.

Magnell, Creen and Carparell each had a double and a single. Four of the Lancers’ eight hits were doubles. All 12 of Westfield’s hits were singles. Grillo, Wagner and Fields each rapped two singles.

Winning pitcher Mike Borowiec (Spencer) threw eight complete innings, allowing 11 hits and one walk while striking out six. Closer Kevin Hayes (Medford) recorded his seventh save of the season, including saves in the three tournament games.

Westfield starter Bob Sinopoli (Wilmington) hurled six complete innings, allowing six hits and striking out three.