Four Golden Bears Pick Up Multi-RBI Outings in Two Game Sweep over Suffolk

BOSTON, Mass. (April 8, 2023) – The Western New England baseball team defeated the hosting Rams of Suffolk University in CCC play on Saturday, getting multi-RBI efforts from CJ Willis, Jake Gerraughty, Kohtaro Shimada, and Paul Villecco as WNE would win game one 8-3 and take game two 9-3.

Records:

• Western New England: 15-5-1, 3-2 CCC
• Suffolk University: 6-11, 2-5 CCC

Pitching Records (Game 1):

• W: Kevin Hummer: 2-0
• L: Garret Roberts: 2-4

Pitching Records (Game 2):

• W: Jared Kuryan: 2-0
• L: George Breslin: 1-4

How it Happened (Game 1): 

Suffolk would jump on WNE SP Kevin Hummer early, delivering a quick 2-0 lead on an RBI triple and RBI single to right field to give the Rams a 2-0 lead. WNE would go quietly on offense for the first four innings as they watched the Rams build a 3-0 lead through those four innings. The Golden Bears would find their offensive game in the top of the fifth and would not look back from there. 

In the fifth, John Nova would grab a double with one out to begin a rally that scored three runs for WNE to quickly even the score. Paul Villecco would rip off a single before CJ Willis delivered a two RBI triple to right center field as the Golden Bears would score two quick runs. Third baseman Cody Waterbury would connect on a sac-fly to center field, scoring Willis pushing the Golden Bears to a tie with the Rams. After Hummer would be able to get out of a second and third with one out jam, the WNE offensive would be back to work, giving the Golden Bears their first lead of the game. 

WNE would nearly bat around in the order in the sixth and would come away with two runs after Jake Gerraugthy reached on an error which scored Sean Jamieson while Kohtaro Shimada would single down the left field line to give WNE a 5-3 lead through six innings of play. The WNE bullpen would wear down the Rams as Alex Slezak and Robert Zawacki would pitch clean innings to help the Golden Bears maintain their lead. 

An RBI single for Shimada would give the Golden Bears a 6-3 lead after John Bova led off the inning with a triple down the right field line. Western New England would wrap up the game with two runs in the ninth after Aaron Cole and Jake Gerraughty's at-bats would produce runs for the blue and gold while Troy Donohue would shut down the Rams in the ninth, sending WNE to an 8-3 victory. 

How it Happened (Game 2): 

The bats would not get started until the fourth inning for either side as both Jared Kuryan and George Breslin would start the game off with clean sheets. The Golden Bears would get the first run of the game when Paul Villecco singled to center field, scoring Aaron Cole and John Bova, giving the blue and gold a 2-0 lead. WNE continued to score and did so on one swing of the bat when Cody Waterbury drilled a home run to left field to give the Golden Bears a 5-0 lead. 

Suffolk would quickly come back and produce three runs of their own in the bottom of the fourth on a two-run home run and a double.  From there, WNE would control the remainder of the game, on their way to another CCC victory. 

A strong seventh inning that saw WNE score four times would be the rest of the scoring in the game after John Bova grabbed a sac-fly RBI while Paul Villecco brought in two with an extra base hit. CJ Willis would cap off the scoring with a single to right field, giving WNE a 9-3 lead, a lead the blue and gold would hold for the entirety of the game. 

Jared Kuryan went the first six innings for WNE giving up seven hits and three runs while striking out three. The WNE bullpen shined again as Sean Hogan and Andrew Melone combined for three innings giving up one hit and four strikeouts to close the door on the Rams and gave the Golden Bears a 9-3 victory to sweep the Rams in CCC play. 

Up Next on the Schedule:

• WNE is back at Trelease Park in CCC action on Tuesday, April 11 at 3:30 PM when Wentworth Institute of Technology visits Springfield.