Western New England Opens Florida Trip with 22-7 Win Over Stockton

Eleven Golden Bears record at least one hit, led by Rosenblatt and Lacaire

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (March 17, 2018) – The Western New England University baseball team opened its eight-game trip at the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational with a 22-7 victory over Stockton (N.J.) University on Saturday morning at the Chain O' Lakes Complex. 

Top Performers
• Senior Jared Rosenblatt (Avon, Conn.) and junior Erik Lacaire (Worcester, Mass.) led the Golden Bears with four hits and three RBI each, while juniors Ben LaCroix (Branford, Conn.) and Aaron Rios (Stratford, Conn.) both recorded two hits and drove in three runs.

• Stockton sophomore Mike DeSenzo (Pompton Plains, N.J.) posted a 3-for-5 effort with two RBI out of the leadoff spot, and classmate Garrhet Reedy (Tinton Falls, N.J.) drove in three runs for the Ospreys.

Game Review
Western New England wasted no time in getting its offense going, as the Golden Bears put four runs on the board in the top of the first inning with the help of RBI doubles from junior Alex Loparco (Riverside, Conn.) and sophomore Zac Nussbaum (Bridgewater, Mass.), and a two-run single from Rios.

After Rios increased Western New England's lead to 5-0 with an RBI double down the left field line in the third, the Ospreys answered with four straight runs to cut their deficit to one. Reedy delivered a two-run single in the third, and freshman John Perrino (Wall, N.J.) followed with an RBI single in the fifth, before Reedy drove in another run later in the frame with a sacrifice fly.

Junior catcher Brian Valeriano (Stratford, Conn.) recorded a two-run double in the seventh, while LaCroix and Cassella did the same in the eighth to highlight Western New England's six-run frame as the Golden Bears opened up a 12-4 advantage.

The Ospreys stayed within striking distance with three runs in the eighth, but Western New England scored nine times in the top of the ninth to break the contest open.  

Notes
• Senior right-hander Jake Kawiecki (Burlington, Conn.) got the start for the Golden Bears and picked up his first win of the season after allowing four runs over five innings.
• Western New England's 22 runs are its most since scoring 31 in a 31-8 win over Concordia (Wisc.) on March 17, 2009. The Golden Bears also scored 22 runs in a 22-3 win over New England College on April 9, 2011.
• Loparco's RBI double in the first inning marked the 100^th hit of his career.

Up Next
Western New England (3-2) will be back in action tomorrow as the Golden Bears take on Clarkson at the Lake Myrtle Complex in Auburndale, Fla. First pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m.