Palmer Climbs Home Run List, Owls Fall to Warriors

WESTFIELD, Mass. – Senior outfielder Sam Palmer (Medfield, Mass.) blasted his 24^th career home run, but Westfield State dropped the second game of the 2026 season in game two against Eastern Connecticut State University, 9-1, from Calvert Hall in Towson, Maryland on Saturday afternoon.

Palmer launched a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth for the Owls first long ball of the season. He is now in a tie for second place on the program's career home run list with Dave Carlucci '84 and six off the mark of the all-time leading home run hitter, Anthony Crowley '19.

The home run was the lone run to cross the plate for the Owls on the afternoon as Warriors starting pitcher Rob Moynihan worked six strong innings, allowing five hits while striking out ten for the win.

Westfield left a runner in scoring position in the first and third innings. Palmer stole second, then advanced to third on an overthrow in the first but the Owls were unable to bring him in. In the third inning, Nick Lenfest (Westfield, Mass.) hit a one-out ground rule double but was stranded at third base.

The Warriors led 5-0 entering the bottom of the fifth where the first two Owls reached base on back-to-back singles from Colin Ryan (Chelmsford, Mass.) and TJ May (North Granby, Conn.). Moynihan would hold the Owls off the scoreboard again, striking out the next three batters to escape what had the makings of a potential rally. In total, Westfield left eight men on base in the contest.

Two-out run production was again a strength of the Warriors today, with the opening four runs of the game coming with two outs. Ian Moser doubled home the first run of the game, followed by a RBI single from Eric Mathewson which gave Eastern Connecticut a 2-0 lead after two innings.

Westfield starter Craig Barnes (Billerica, Mass.) settled into the middle of the game, retiring five of the next six hitters before surrendering a two-out, run-scoring single to Danny DiNorcia in the fourth, increasing the ECSU advantage to 3-0.

The Owls deficit increased to five runs after five innings with Mathewson belting a solo home run as part of the frame.

Trailing 6-1 in the eighth inning, the Owls put two runners on after consecutive walks to Alex Martin (Shrewsbury, Mass.) and Palmer, signaling another effort to pile on a crooked number. However, the situational hit did not prevail as a 5-3 double play thwarted the chance.

Eastern tacked on three in the ninth to put the game away.

Barnes (L, 0-1) got the start for Westfield, working 4.2 innings and giving up five runs on seven hits with two walks and five strikeouts. Andre Phaneuf (Westfield, Mass.) put forth a strong effort in relief, allowing one run over three innings with three punchouts.

Westfield had three extra base hits with Chase Racine (Pittsfield, Mass.) hitting a double to join Lenfest and Palmer. Ryan had two hits and starts the year with a pair of multi-hit games.

Westfield State (0-2) will play one more game in the Mid-Atlantic, this time against Keystone State, who are currently receiving votes in the D3baseball.com top 25 poll, tomorrow at 11:00 A.M. from Patriots Park North in Fairfax, Virginia.