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Courtesy Salem State Sports Information

Salem, MA— Richard Fecteau (Lynn, MA) went 3-for-5, and Steve Buitkus (Reading, MA) blasted a leadoff home run as top seeded Salem State University advanced to the 2013 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference championship game with a 7-3 victory over  No. 2 Framingham State on Saturday afternoon. The Vikings, seeking their first MASCAC Championship since 2006 will play the Westfield State Owls, who knocked off Framingham State 9-1 in an elimination game.

Buitkus opened the game with his second home run of the year, and Fecteau added a first inning RBI single that gave the Vikings a 2-0 lead.  In the fourth the Rams' Matt Gerard (Milford, MA) put his team on the board with an RBI single that made the score 2-1. Framingham State tied the game in the sixth after Gerard doubled, and following a walk to Ivan Colon (Waltham, MA), Salem State freshman Mike Davis (Peabody, MA) relieved starter Ryan Sharp (Townsend, MA). Cameron Couillard (North Andover, MA) greeted Davis with a base hit to even the score. Sharp went five and two thirds and gave up seven hits and two earned runs.   

In the bottom of the 7th, with two on , pinch-hitter Genaro Ciulla (Peabody, MA) hit a ball in the hole to the right side. Framingham second baseman Colon made a great diving save, but his throw to first was off the bag and Matt Burgess (Kingston, MA)scored from second to give Salem State a 3-2 lead.  Framingham State answered in the next inning when Couillard deliverd an RBI single that tied  the game, 3-3.

The Vikings batted around and scored four times to take a 7-3 lead in the eighth. A single, and three straight walks, including a great at-bat by Kevin Salines (Melrose, MA) who worked a walk after falling behind, 0-2, scored the go-ahead runs for the Vikings. Ryan Beliveau (Lynn, MA) and Buitkus came home on a walk and hit batter as Rams' starter Ryan Bowen (Hudson, MA) suddenly lost command of the plate. Fecteau then laced a single to right to score two more runs, and the Vikings led 7-3. Thomas Simas (Cambridge, MA) replaced Bowen, and retired the side to stem the rally.

Davis went three and a third innings and allowed just a run on three hits to pick up the win. Framingham State starter Bowen went seven and two thirds innings, and allowed seven hits, a run with four walks, with a strikeout in the loss.

In other action:

Westfield State 2 Worcester State 1

Salem, MA -- Jeremy Tanguay (Huntington, MA) hit a game-winning double in the bottom of the ninth to help Westfield State stave off elimination in the 2013 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference Baseball Tournament. Tanguay's hit scored Kyle Colesanti (Mount Kisco, NY), who had singled, to lift the Owls (18-20) to a 2-1 victory over Worcester State.  The Lancers end their season with a 19-22 record.  The game was the first of three on Saturday at Salem State University's Central Campus Baseball Field.

Zach George (Attleboro, MA), second double of the day staked Worcester State to a 1-0 lead in the sixth as David Ruggiero (Peabody, MA) plated George with a single.

Lancers' starter Cody Osburn (Sacramento, CA) and the Owls' Mike Molta (Nantucket, MA) shutdown both offenses as both pitchers worked out of jams to keep the game1-0.

Westfield State's Curt Everett  (Lexington, MA) came on in relief in the 7th with the Owls trailing . Molta went six innings, and allowed six hits, one run, and four strikeouts.   The Owls  put runners on the corners in the eighth and Andrew Medeiros (Acushnet, MA) singled home the tying run. Westfield State had a chance to take the lead, but Dan Rokitowski (Wappingers Falls, NY) was gunned out at the plate by Worcester State fight fielder Zach George (Attleboro, MA).

Everett earned the win for the Owls to raise his record to 2-0. Osbourn was the tough luck loser, scattering nine hits and allowing just two runs with eight strikeouts. Everett earned the win for the Owls, going three innings and allowing just one hit.

Westfield State 9 Framingham State 1

Salem, MA—The No.4 seed Westfield State University Owls (19-20) jumped out to a 4-0 lead and cruised past the No. 2 seed Framingham State Rams, 9-1 in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Baseball Tournament elimination game on Saturday afternoon at Salem State University's Central Campus Baseball Field.  The victory puts the Owls into the championship round against No. 1 seed Salem State at noon tomorrow.

Kevin Greene (Worcester, MA) doubled home the first run of the game as Westfield State plated four in the opening frame on four hits as Matt Ferrelli (Milford, MA) added a RBI double, and Tim Santilli (Southbridge, MA) singled home another pair of runs off Framingham State starter Chris DiCecca (Winchester, MA).

The Rams Matt Gerard (Milford, MA) blasted an RBI double in the second to make it a three run game, but Jeremy Tanguay  (Huntington, MA) countered with an RBI single in the third to make it 5-1 Owls.

Westfield added two more in the sixth as Tanguay advanced to third base on a bunt by Tyler Adams (West Barnstable, MA) and then came home on a bases loaded walk. Andrew Medeiros (New Bedford, MA) got his second RBI of the game on a hit to make it 7-1 Owls in the sixth.  The Rams did turn a rare triple play in the inning to avoid further damage. A routine fly out to right, and a 926525 putout at second and third due to bad base running by the Owls ended the inning.

Westfield State starter Justin Thompson (Yarmouth, MA) pitched a complete-game  allowing only one run to even his record at 1-1. Framingham State's Thomas Simas (Cambridge, MA) pitched three and a third innings of relief and gave up four hits, three runs, and three walks for the Rams.  Justin Forman (Watertown, MA) came on in relief in the seventh for Framingham State, and gave up two run and five hits. Rams' starter DiCecca went only two and two thirds innings, and allowed seven hits, five runs, with a strikeout in the loss. 

Westfield State last won the MASCAC Tournament in 2009.