Golden Bears blank AMCATS in TCCC doubleheader

PAXTON, Mass. (03.29.11) – Junior Mark DiTommaso (Hebron, Conn.) and sophomore Jeff Richardson (Simsbury, Conn.) each tossed six shutout innings as the Western New England College baseball team blanked Anna Maria College by scores of 12-0 and 9-0 in a The Commonwealth Coast Conference doubleheader at Rocheleau Field on Tuesday evening. The pair of wins improve the Golden Bears to an impressive 12-4 (8-0 TCCC) mark, while the AMCATS fall to an even 8-8 (3-3 TCCC) on the season.

Junior Mike Taylor (Andover, Mass.) led the offensive charge for the Golden Bears going 3-for-7 on the day with a home run, a triple, and three runs scored, while leading all players with five runs batted in. Senior Jason Leclerc (Chicopee, Mass.) had a strong day going 4-for-8 with three runs scored and four runs batted in, while both Casey Dadio (Branford, Conn.) and Mike Rubino (Northford, Conn.) each collected four hits in the double-dip. DiTommaso went six strong innings for the win in game one, allowing just four hits while striking out five to improve to 2-0 on the year. Richardson matched DiTamasso with six shutout innings of his own in game two, surrendering four hits while striking out four to even his record at 1-1 on the season.

The AMCATS received two-hit performances from sophomore Carlos Ortiz (Worcester, Mass.), senior Mike Galvin (Rutland, Mass.), and sophomore Mike Guarnieri (Wallingford, Conn.). Senior Jim McNamara (Worcester, Mass.) took the loss in game one, allowing seven runs (six earned) on 11 hits over five innings of work. Fellow senior Zach Rafferty (Worcester, Mass.) took the loss in the night cap despite allowing just one earned run while striking out nine batters over 5.2 innings.

The Golden Bears jumped on the board with three runs in the first inning of game one, getting an RBI double from Rubino and a run scoring single from senior Tony Trubia (Tolland, Conn.).

Western New England added one run in the fourth, a run in the fifth, and two runs in the sixth, before blowing the game open with a five-run seventh, including a three-run blast to dead centerfield by Taylor.

In the night cap, Rafferty and Richardson locked up in a pitcher's duel, battling to a 0-0 tie after three innings of play.

The Golden Bears finally broke through in the top of the fourth when senior Ryan Dudzinski (Bristol Conn.) hit a flare to left that dropped in to score Dadio to break the scoreless tie.

It remained a one-run game into the top of the sixth inning when the Golden Bears erupted for eight runs. After an AMC error opened the door, the Golden Bears capitalized with bases clearing doubles from both Leclerc and sophomore Matt Anthonis (Guilford, Conn.) to seal the 9-0 victory.

Both teams will return to conference action on Wednesday at 2:00 pm, as the Golden Bears travel to take on Endicott College, while the AMCATS hit the road to face Nichols College.