Warriors Take Series From Hawks

WATERTOWN, Mass. ---- Massasoit Baseball began its 2020 campaign with a series win versus Mohawk Valley Community College over the weekend. The Warriors dropped the season opener, 4-2, but managed to defeat the Hawks in the final two games, 5-4, and 14-9.

GAME ONE: MOHAWK VALLEY 4, MASSASOIT 2

The Warrior offense struck in the first inning with Eric Lebreault-Guzman (New Bedford, Mass./New Bedford HS) stealing home. A walk to Guzman and a single to right by Will Cauchon (Kingston, Mass./Silver Lake Regional) set up the first-and-third situation. An attempted pick by the Hawks catcher allowed Guzman to break and sneak in the back door.

Warrior starter Francisco Navarro (Chiriqui, Panama/Daniel Octavio Crespo) was able to hold the Hawks scoreless through four frames. Mohawk Valley threatened in the third inning after three walks loaded the bases. Navarro was able to escape the jam with a double play ball to end the inning. 

The Hawks tied the game in the fifth after a one-out walk and double by Skyler Gashi (West Monroe, NY/Bishop Grimes).  The Warriors responded with a run in the bottom half of the inning after Bryce Evans' (Hull, Mass./Hull) RBI single knocking in Nathan Anselmo (East Providence, RI/East Providence).

In the top of the seventh, with Massasoit leading 2-1, the Hawks offense came alive scoring three runs on one hit and three walks taking the lead and the win 4-2. Navarro took the loss for the Warriors.

GAME TWO: MASSASOIT 5, MOHAWK VALLEY 4

The Hawks put up a single run in the first on an infield error and held the lead until the third inning. Freshman centerfielder Bryce Evans started off the scoring for the Warriors hitting his first career homerun, a two-run blast. The Warriors executed small-ball to add another run later that inning. Guzman walked and stole second base before Cauchon's grounder to first base advanced him to third. With the infield back, Guzman scored on Zak Paquette's (Stoughton, Mass./Stoughton HS) grounder to shortstop giving the Warriors a 3-1 lead.

With the Hawks picking up one run in the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings, the Warriors were trailing 4-3 and down to their final three outs. A lead-off single by Evans followed by a Guzman triple tied the ballgame, 4-4. Cauchon and Paquette were intentional walked to load the bases setting up Noah Girard's (Westport, Mass/Diman Regional) ground ball RBI single to give Massasoit the walk-off win.  

Southpaw starter DJ Lopes (Dartmouth, Mass./New Bedford Regional) was outstanding on the bump pitching a complete game and striking out eight in the win.

GAME THREE: MASSASOIT 14, MOHAWK VALLEY 9

After splitting the twin bill on Saturday's season opener, Warriors Baseball took Sunday's rubber game and the series over Mohawk Valley, 14-9.

Warriors starting pitcher Mason Farias (Tiverton, RI/Tiverton HS) pitched five innings of two hit shutout baseball striking out five and walking none. The Warrior bullpen surrendered the lead in the seventh but the bats responded in kind pushing five runs across in the eighth inning. Freshmen Daryan Rogers (Fall River, Mass./Diman Regional), Guzman and Josh Truehart (Brockton, Mass./Brockton HS) led the offense with each recording two hits. Truehart's two hits were of the three-bag variety. 

Reliever Ryan Austin (Taunton, Mass./Bristol-Plymouth) finished the game and was the pitcher of record earning his first career victory.

SERIES HIGHLIGHTS…

Freshman Bryce Evans was 5-for-10 at the plate in the series including a double and his first career homerun.  He scored five runs while collecting four RBIs and swiping five bases…. Sophomore DJ Lopes, who went the distance in game two, earned his first career win… Sophomore backstop Joshua Truehart, who did not have any triples in 2019, had hit two triples in game three… Freshman pitcher Ryan Austin earned his career victory on the mound in relief in game three…

The Warriors are in action next weekend as they head to Syracuse, New York for a double dip against Onondaga Community College on Saturday.