Courtesy Westfield State Sports Information

BABSON PARK, Fla. - Westfield State received strong pitching performances from Bret Siflinger and Jesse Vermeersch in a 5-0, 5-2 doubleheader sweep of Suffolk University on Thursday, March 18.

Siflinger's complete-game shutout in the opener gave Ray Arra is 100th victory as Westfield State head coach. Now in his sixth year as Westfield's head coach, the veteran mentor has a 101-93-1 record in leading the Owls to two NCAA Tournaments and two MASCAC regular season championships in the past three seasons.

Westfield improved to 5-3 and Suffolk dropped to 2-5; both teams played in the 2009 NCAA New England Regional Tournament.

Siflinger, who pounded the strike zone with fastballs, tossed a four-hitter and did not issue a walk. The freshman from Framingham fanned four.

Westfield scored its first two runs on bases loaded walks in the fourth inning. The Owls tacked on three insurance tallies in the seventh.

Hot-hitting Jeff Fields was the only player with multiple hits in Westfield's seven-hit attack. Fields was 2 for 4 with a run scored, an RBI, and a double. Kevin "Moose" Lyons belted a double.

In the second game, Westfield scored three runs in the first and a run in the second. Suffolk scored in the fourth and sixth innings.

Vermeersch was yanked in the sixth with no outs and runners at first and second base. Freshman reliever Matt McDougall recorded the three sixth-inning outs and senior closer Jeff Fields pitched the seventh for the save.

Westfield was out-hit 7-6 but the Owls committed no errors for the second straight game. Matt Kelly was 2 for 3 with an RBI and Pete Grillo was 2 for 3. Fields and Ben Campbell were both 1 for 3 with an RBI.