Phaneuf Tosses Gem as Owls Top #29 Montclair, 8-3

WESTFIELD, Mass. – Andre Phaneuf (Westfield, Mass.) hurled seven innings of one run baseball and Kaen Smith (Washingtonville, N.Y.) recorded three hits and drove in two as Westfield State defeated #29 Montclair State 8-3 in the first game of a three-game series from Montclair, N.J. on Friday afternoon.

Phaneuf was exceptional on the mound for the Owls, picking up the win while scattering eight hits with one walk and three strikeouts. He got better as the game progressed, retiring the final nine batters faced, including three up and three down in the sixth and seventh frames to close his outing. Montclair (12-4) entered the series ranked number 29 in the ABCA Division III Baseball Coaches Poll.

The Owls put together quality at bats to chase Red Hawks ace Colin Dowlen out of the game relatively early with Sam Palmer (Medfield, Mass.) putting Westfield in front in the first inning with a solo home run over the left centerfield wall. The home run is Palmer's third of the season and 26^th career long ball, four off the pace of tying Anthony Crowley '19 for the most home runs in program history.

In the top of the second inning, Nick Lenfest (Westfield, Mass.) singled through the left side with the bases loaded, scoring Alex Martin (Shrewsbury, Mass.) for a 2-0 lead. With two outs in the frame, Smith singled into right field to tack on an additional run for a 3-0 advantage midway through the second.

The Red Hawks lone run off Phaneuf came in the second on a double from Michael Wansaw Jr., but the Owls defense prevented any additional runs from scoring as Martin threw out Wansaw Jr. at the plate after a single up the middle. After review of the play, the call stood, ending the inning with Westfield ahead 3-1.

Phaneuf worked his way out of trouble in the third inning, getting Danny O'Brien to fly out to Palmer in right to strand two runners aboard. In the fourth frame, Phaneuf induced soft contact with two outs on a role over to second base to end the inning, leaving two Red Hawks on as the Owls maintained a two-run advantage at the end of four.

In the fifth inning, a two-out knock from Martin pushed the lead to three runs, plating Colin Ryan (Chelmsford, Mass.) for a 4-1 lead.

The last baserunner Phaneuf allowed was leadoff single in the fifth inning, then got the next three batters before posting clean sixth and seventh innings as the Owls rolled into the eighth inning with a 4-1 advantage.

Lenfest drew a one-out walk and then with two down, the Owls sent six hitters to the plate to rally and expand the lead. With Lenfest advancing to second, Smith punched his third hit of the game back up the middle for a run-scoring hit and a 5-1 lead. Palmer kept the line moving with a double down the left field line to put runners at second and third, then after an intentional walk of Chase Racine (Pittsfield, Mass.), Ryan pulled a ground ball through the left side, scoring two to break open a 7-1 lead.

In the home half of the eighth, the Red Hawks attempted to mount a comeback, loading the bases with two outs after an Owls error and single from John Tomsho. With nowhere to put him, Jack Novak (Colchester, Conn.) forced a ground ball to Lenfest on a 3-1 pitch, firing to second base for the force out to escape without allowing a run.

Lenfest tacked on a run in the ninth inning with a single up the middle, scoring Jacob Lucas (Rutland, Mass.) who began the inning with a leadoff double. Lenfest reached base four times in the game, recording two hits while drawing two walks.

Montclair scored two in the ninth inning on a single from Chase Fischer, but AJ Moore (Long Beach, Calif.) sealed the victory with a flyout to left.

Phaneuf picked up his second win of the season, limiting a potent Red Hawks offense to only one run as Montclair entered the game scoring double digits runs in their last six games, all of which were wins. Dowlen (L, 3-1) suffered his first loss of the season after allowing four runs in 4.2 innings, giving up six hits while walking three and fanning five.

Game two of the series between the Owls and Red Hawks will continue tomorrow with first pitch at 12:00 P.M.