Baseball Splits Regular Season Finale vs. Westfield State on Senior Day

THE BASICS 

Score: 
GM 1 – Salem State University 4, vs. Westfield State University, 3 (7 inn.)
GM 2 – Salem State University 6, vs. Westfield State University, 7 (8 inn.)

Records: 
Salem State Vikings (20-15, 16-8 MASCAC)

MCLA Trailblazers (15-24, 12-12 MASCAC)

Location: Salem, Mass. - Central Campus Field

Date: Saturday, May 2, 2026

THE LEAD – The Salem State baseball team capped off its regular season by splitting a doubleheader against Westfield State by taking the first game, 4-3, but unfortunately dropping the second, 7-6, Saturday afternoon. Before the contest, the Vikings honored their five seniors on senior day. Salem State and the baseball team would like to thank Owen Duggan (Billerica, Mass.), Aidan Lynch (North Andover, Mass.), Lucas Rincon (Revere, Mass.), Ryan Bourgeois (Nashua, N.H.), and Devin Fuegen (Wolcott, Conn.) for their dedication to the Salem State baseball program throughout their careers!

HOW IT HAPPENED (GM 1)

• After both sides went scoreless in the first two innings, Westfield built up a three-run lead by scoring one run in the third through the fifth innings. However, in the bottom half of the sixth, Salem evened the contest at three. Jonny Payne (Seekonk, Mass.) drove in the tying runs when he ripped a two-run RBI single up the middle. 
• Nolan Currier (Maynard, Mass.) once again was stellar on Saturday, and in the seventh, he retired the side, which allowed Salem a chance for the win in the bottom of the seventh. 
• In the inning, Salem loaded the bases when Michael Buccaro (Guilford, Conn.) drew a one-out walk. In the next at-bat, Rincon hit a grounder to Westfield's shortstop, who came in hard to get the runner at home but misplayed the ball, which allowed Yabdriel Gonzalez (New Haven, Conn.) to cross home and give the Vikings a 4-3 win. 

INSIDE THE NUMBERS (GM 1)

• Payne led the Vikings offense with two RBIs in the contest. 
• Currier threw his fourth complete game of the season in the win while allowing just four hits, three runs (one earned), and striking out six.
• Westfield saw three different hitters earn an RBI in the loss (Nick Lenfest, Chase Racine, and Antonio Scalise).
• AJ Moore ended up with the loss after going 1.0 IP and allowing two hits, two runs (one earned), and striking out one.
• Owls starter Sean McNamara ended up with the no-decision by tossing 4.0 IP and giving up one hit, no runs, and striking out four.
• The last time Salem won seven in a row was back in 2023. 

HOW IT HAPPENED (GM 2)

• Neither side was able to generate any runs in the first two innings. However, Westfield jumped out to a 3-0 lead after scoring three runs between the third and fourth innings. Salem trimmed the deficit to two (3-1) in the bottom half of the fourth when Duggan had an RBI single that found an opening in center field.
• Despite the momentum from the Vikings, the Owls grabbed their largest lead of the day (5-1) in the fifth when TJ May ripped a two-run RBI single through the left side. Salem would not go quietly, though, when Antonio Belgrove (Stamford, Conn.) smashed a two-run home run to left center that made it a 5-3 ballgame.
• Later in the seventh, Westfield answered with a home run of its own when Sam Palmer drove the ball over the left field fence and pushed the Owls' lead back to three (6-3). Down to the final inning, Salem made it a one-run (6-5) game thanks to a two-run RBI single off the bat of Dugan that found a gap in the right side.
• During the next at-bat, Ethan Stepputtis (Prospect, Conn.) had heads-up base-running and took advantage of a wild pitch and crossed the plate to tie the game at six and head into extras.
• In the eighth, Westfield drove in the go-ahead run thanks to a deep sacrifice fly off the bat of Palmer that made it 7-6, Westfield. Unfortunately, in the bottom half of the frame, Salem could not push across any runs as the Owls secured a 7-6 win. 

INSIDE THE NUMBERS (GM 2)

• Duggan and Belgrove finished the day with multiple RBIs at three and two, respectively.
• Belgrove's homer was his second of the season and third of his career.
• Collin Tenney (Woodbridge, Conn.) earned the no-decision in the start after going 4.0 IP while allowing five hits and three runs.
• Jackson Beehr (Walpole, Mass.) ended up with the loss after allowing the go-ahead run to score.
• Palmer guided the Westfield offense with three RBIs on the day.
• Griffin Pollard finished with a no-decision after going 4.2 IP and giving up seven hits, three runs, and striking out one.
• Ryan Peters earned the win after tossing 1.0 IP and allowing just one hit and no runs. Meanwhile, David Chaisson ended up with the save in just one inning of work while giving up one hit and striking out one. 
• Despite the loss, Salem went on to win the series over Westfield. The Blue and Orange ended the year by winning seven MASCAC series.
• The Vikes ended the regular season with nine home wins, which is the most since 2024 (11 wins).

UP NEXT 

Salem clinched the No. 2 seed in the upcoming MASCAC playoffs, and information on times and opponents will be available upon completion of tomorrow's regular-season contests.