Pollard Tosses Complete Game Shutout as Owls Sweep Trailblazers
Griffin Pollard allowed just three hits over seven scoreless frames while the Owls swiped 12 bases across both wins.
Game 1
Game 1
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 5 | 0 |
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0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
Game 2
Game 2
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 1 |
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
WESTFIELD, Mass. – First-year starter Griffin Pollard (Mystic, Conn.) tossed a complete game shutout in game one, then Westfield State carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning of game two as the Owls swept MCLA in a MASCAC doubleheader from Hagan Field in Westfield, Mass. on Wednesday afternoon.
Pollard allowed just three hits across seven innings while Sam Palmer (Medfield, Mass.) and Chase Racine (Pittsfield, Mass.) each drove in three runs as part of a 9-0 game one victory. Sean McNamara (Lowell, Mass.) struck out ten over five hitless frames in game two as the Owls held on for a 6-3 victory. MCLA served as the designated home team as the doubleheader was originally scheduled as an Owls road game.
Westfield wins their fourth straight conference game to pull even at 4-4 in the league standings and 7-16 overall. MCLA drops to 2-5 in the MASCAC and 8-11 on the season.
The Owls got the scoring started in the third inning of game one with the bottom of the order loading the bases with nobody out after consecutive walks from TJ May (North Granby, Conn.) and Kaen Smith (Washingtonville, N.Y.), followed by a single to center from Connor Benvenuto (New City, N.Y.).
MCLA starter Collin Booth nearly worked his way out of the frame by getting two straight outs without allowing a run before Racine dumped a fly ball into centerfield, dropping in front of a sliding Ben Jacob and clearing the bases for a 3-0 lead.
Westfield continued to stretch the lead in the middle innings as Benvenuto tacked on a RBI single, then Palmer belted a two-run double down the left field line to open a six-run lead.
Pollard carried a perfect game into the fifth inning before Chris Vargas singled through the left side. A bunt advanced him to second, then Pollard forced a flyout to end the inning. In the sixth inning, he induced a double play with runners on first and second, then stranded the leadoff man at second in the seventh to secure the shutout and his second win of the campaign.
The Owls offense carried over into game two with Nick Lenfest (Westfield, Mass.) belting a fly ball over the right fielder's head for a RBI triple, scoring Palmer in the first inning. Colin Ryan (Chelmsford, Mass.) added a RBI single, then another run came in to score via error for a 3-0 lead midway through the first.
McNamara battled command issues while flashing dominance on the hill in game two, carrying a no-hitter through five innings, while also walking eight hitters to drive the pitch count over the 100-pitch mark. With the bases loaded on a full court with two out in the fifth, McNamara dotted his 114th pitch on the corner for a strikeout, his tenth of the afternoon, escaping the inning to preserve a 4-0 advantage.
Westfield still had not allowed a hit entering the sixth inning of game two, but walks again became an issue with three consecutive free passes loading the bases as MCLA attempted to make a late comeback. Jacob scored the Trailblazers first run of the game on a fielder's choice, snapping a streak of 12 consecutive innings in which the Owls staff did not allow a run.
After a strikeout and a wild pitch to allow a second run to cross the plate, Josh Bissaillon singled through the left side for their first hit of the contest, shaving the deficit to two runs as well. Brendan Goonan (Raynham, Mass.) entered out of the bullpen and forced a ground out to Racine at first. After a leadoff single in the seventh and with the tying run in the on-deck circle, Goonan retired the final three hitters to lock down the save and the sweep for the Owls.
The Owls were active and aggressive on the bases throughout both games, stealing six bases in game one including two apiece from Benvenuto and Alex Martin (Shrewsbury, Mass.). In game two, the Owls swiped six additional bags with Emmett Garfield (Westfield, Mass.) manufacturing a run as a pinch runner, nabbing second and then third to allow Devin Buntzen (West Milford, N.J.) to drive him home on a sacrifice fly to right field for an insurance run in the seventh frame.
Westfield State will be back in action on Friday as the Owls host Anna Maria College for game one of a three-game weekend series at 3:30 P.M. from Bud and Jim Hagan Field in Westfield, Mass. MCLA will return home to start a series against Framingham State on Friday at 3:00 P.M.