DANBURY, Conn. - The Western Connecticut State University baseball team was downed in both split squad doubleheaders on Saturday afternoon. Half the Colonials traveled North for Little East Conference play at Plymouth State where they lost, 13-3 and 11-4. The other half of the team hosted LEC foe Rhode Island College in a pair of non-conference contests, falling 20-1 and 13-3.
In the home opener, RIC jumped out to a 4-0 lead when senior Nate Vigeant blasted a grand slam home run in the top of the first. The Colonials countered with their lone run in the bottom half of the frame when rookie third baseman
Riley McGuire (Monroe, Conn.) doubled home classmate second baseman
Julian Gonzalez (Wethersfield, Conn.). The Anchormen would cruise the rest of the way.
The WestConn bats came to life in the opening inning of Game Two. Trailing 2-0 early, sophomore
Tyler Olmo (Ardsley, N.Y.) lined a single down the left field line, scoring McGuire. Moments later, sophomore catcher
Nicholas Hebert (Southbury, Conn.) ripped a single to center, pushing another pair of runners across home plate and giving the Colonials a 3-2 lead. However, the visitors countered quickly when rookie Cameron Santerre smacked a triple to right center as they regained the lead, 4-3. They would not look back en route to the 13-3 victory.
Things looked brighter early in the opener at Plymouth State. WestConn notched a 3-1 lead off run scoring hits from senior
Moe Echevarria (Norwalk, Conn.) and junior
Jake Babon (Southington, Conn.) in the second inning. But the Panthers would strike back with multiple runs throughout the remaining four innings to come away with the 13-3 win.
It didn't get any easier for the Colonials in the nightcap as the Panthers scurried out to an early 8-1 lead en route to sweeping the twin bill. However, WestConn did manage to earn the last scoring play when junior outfielder
Andrew Luis (Danbury, Conn.) blasted a two-run shot over the wall in the top of the ninth, rounding the count out at 11-4.
The Colonials return to action when they host league rival Keene State on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m.