By Jim Fenton

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- All signs were pointing to the Bridgewater State University baseball team being forced to a winner-take-all game in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference tournament.

There were the top-seeded Bears, seemingly on the verge of their first loss in the double-elimination MASCAC tourney Saturday afternoon, trailing third-seeded Worcester State University, 11-5, in the bottom of the ninth inning.

With three more outs, the teams would return to Alumni Park for a noon game on Sunday to decide the conference championship.

But in one of the most improbable finishes to win a title, BSU rallied for seven runs in the ninth and incredibly secured its fifth straight MASCAC championship (tenth overall).

It was a comeback for the ages as the Bears overtook the Lancers, 12-11, to earn a spot in the NCAA Division III tourney next week after appearing to be headed to one more game with Worcester State.

Senior Ryan Flaherty (Duxbury, Mass.), who had hit a two-run home run to beging the scoring in the ninth, ended the tournament with a two-out RBI single as the rain fell on the BSU campus.

The championship-winning hit touched off a wild celebration on the field as the tournament ended in stunning fashion, the Bears overcoming what had been an eight-run deficit earlier in the game.

"I'm still trying to make sense of it," said Flaherty, named the Most Valuable Player of the tourney. "You play not your best baseball for eight innings, but we just kept believing. We kept finding a way.

"I knew when this team comes together, we can achieve anything. That took every one of us that last inning. That was a surreal moment.

"I knew this was a special group from the start, and special groups do special things."

BSU (30-8) had to overtake Worcester State (21-20), which had fought off elimination earlier in the day with a 13-4 victory over second-seeded Salem State University.

The Lancers, who scored 43 runs in four tourney games, were in firm control going into that ninth. But they made four errors in the final inning, giving up four unearned runs.

"I said to (assistant coach) Randy (Frazier), 'Imagine if we score seven?' Then I walked to the third base coaching box", said Coach Greg Zackrison. "It was a miracle, I guess. It was a lightning strike."

Sophomore Cam Beltramini (Hanson, Mass.) drew a walk to start the inning before Flaherty homered to left to make it 11-7.

It was the first home run for Flaherty since he hit a pair against the Massachusetts Maritime Academy on March 31.

Flaherty moved into a second-place tie on the Bears' all-time career list with 27 homers, even with Jay Doherty (1989-98). The leader is John Kiely, who hit 29 from 1986-87.

Senior Joshua Selander (Granby, Conn.) followed with a single and junior Benjamin Sepeck (Whitman, Mass.) walked. There were two errors on a ball hit
by senior DJ Prampin (Worcester, Mass.), allowing Selander and Sepeck to score to close the gap to 11-9.

After sophomore Jamie Luna (Warwick, R.I.) singled home Prampin to make it 11-10, he was sacrificed to second by junior Logan Petrosino (Beverly, Mass.) for the first out.

Sophomore Jeyden Espinal (Fall River, Mass.) reached on an error that put runners at second and third. Junior Rylan Secovich (Southwick, Mass.) then reached on an infield error that scored the tying run.

With two outs, Flaherty worked the count to 2-2 before hitting the championship-winning single through the right side.

"I had two strikes on both at-bats of the inning," said Flaherty. "I had to put the ball in play. It didn't matter where it went."

Freshman Matthew Almeida (Fall River, Mass.) provided the Bears with a lift out of the bullpen. He entered the game to start the seventh with the Lancers up, 11-5, and allowed just one hit.

"He kept it there," said Zackrison. "He was great."

As time was running out, though, there were thoughts around Alumni Park about Sunday and a deciding game since the Bears were in such a hole.

"It was a mixed bag of emotions," said Zackrison. "Guys were worried we'd be back tomorrow. Guys said, 'Stay in there, hang in there.' The way I managed the pitching
staff, I was holding some guys for tomorrow."

But the unforgetable rally turned things around and sent BSU to a fifth NCAA tourney in a row.

Worcester State scored five runs in the third and four more in the fourth to take control early.

Junior Derek De La Cruz (Providence, R.I.) and sophomore Riggs Catlin (Dedham, Mass.) led Worcester State with three hits each.

Junior Tyler Normandie (Lowell, Mass.) pitched the first eight innings, allowing five runs and nine hits before two relievers worked the ninth.

The Bears had a 2-0 lead after two innings, scoring a run in each of their first two at-bats.

Secovich led the first with a triple to right-center and scored on a sacrifice fly to center by Flaherty.

In the second, Sepeck walked, went to second on a single through the left side by Luna and scored on a throwing error.

Worcester State grabbed a 5-2 lead in the third inning, getting four hits.

The Lancers loaded the bases on singles by De La Cruz and Catlin with junior Kevin Doyle (Bridgewater, Mass.) getting hit by a pitch.

A fielder's choice by senior Nathan Thurber (Framingham, Mass.) scored the first run and a single by junior Alan Carpenter (Richmond, R.I.) tied the game.

A double to left-center by Normandie put the Lancers up, 4-2, and a groundout scored the final run of the inning.

Worcester State moved the lead to 9-2 in the fourth, scoring four more times.

Junior Ryan Jewett (Natick, Mass.) doubled down the line in left, went to third on a single by De La Cruz and scored on an error.

Doyle had an RBI single up the middle, Thurber delivered a sacrifice fly and the final run of the frame scored on an error.

The lead was 10-2 when Worcester State scored a run in the fifth on an RBI double by De La Cruz.

BSU scored with two outs in the fifth on a homer to left by Beltramini, his fourth of the season.

The Lancers took an 11-3 lead in the sixth on a two-out RBI double by Normandie.

The Bears scored twice in the bottom of the inning as a groundout and error scored Sepeck, who had singled, and Prampin, who was hit by a pitch.

Almeida, in his fifth collegiate game, was the winner in his first decision. He replaced freshman Logan Cormier (Athol, Mass.), who pitched three innings in relief of starter Ethan Palmer (Attleboro, Mass.), a freshman who went the first three innings.

The Bears had 13 hits with Luna going 4-for-4, Flaherty going 3-for-4 and Sepeck adding a pair of hits.

Instead of playing a deciding game Sunday, BSU will be savoring an incredible victory and turning its attention to the NCAAs.

"This one is forever," said Zackrison. "They'll remember this one forever."

Notes: The NCAA Division III Baseball Tournament Selection Shot will air live on Monday, May 11 at noon Eastern time on ncaa.com....Secovich notched his 40th stolen base of the season and scored his 50th run. He is the only player in program history to steal 40 bases in a season and he joins Scott Emerson (three times), Ed Nadeau and Sean Riley as one of only four players in program history to score 50 or more runs in a season....Flaherty now has 57 career extra base hits and 154 RBI. He is third all-time in program history in career RBI and trails only BSU Hall of Famer Steve Smith (162 RBI) on the all-time list.