WESTFIELD, Mass. – Junior outfielder Matt Anthonis (Guilford, CT) paced a 15-hit attack, going 4 for 5 with four RBI, as Western New England University posted a 15-5 baseball victory over Westfield State University on Thursday, April 19.
 
The Golden Bears, who participated in the NCAA Division III World Series last year, boosted their record to 21-9. The Owls are 13-15.
 
Western New England broke open a tight game, snapping a 2-2 deadlock with a seven-run uprising in the sixth inning. The Golden Bears banged five hits in the inning, including the game-winning hit by Anthonis, a runscoring single to make it 3-2.
 
The other big blows in the sixth were a two-run double by freshman first baseman Steve Buckley (Monroe, CT) and a two-run single by Jeff Schult (Wappingers Falls, NY).
 
WNE tacked on four more runs in the eighth, including a three-run double by Anthonis. Buckley capped the scoring in the ninth by lining a two-run homer down the left field line.  
 
Six of Western New England's 15 hits went for extra bases; Westfield rapped 10 hits but they were all singles.  Also, four players collected 12 of the Golden Bears' 15 hits.
 
The 6-3, 230-pound Buckley, who entered the game in the bottom of the fifth, finished 2 for 3 with a double, homer, two runs scored and four RBI. Schult was 3 for 6 with two RBI and two runs scored and Mike Rubino (Northford, CT) was 3 for 5 with a double and triple.
 
Andrew Medeiros (Achushnet, MA) and Josh Blair (Westfield, MA) both had two singles and two RBI for the Owls. Also lacing two singles were Kevin Greene (Worcester, MA) and Nick Champeau (Southbridge, MA).
 
Freshman Trevor Breton (Enfield, Conn./Fermi HS), the second of four WNE pitchers, earned the victory to improve his record to 5-1. He pitched two complete innings.
 
Tommy Carroll (Shelton, CT), the third of five Owl hurlers, sustained the setback.