Stearns Shines, Bats Explode As Warriors Cage Cougars, 8-1

HOLYOKE, Mass. ---- Reigning NJCAA National Pitcher of the Week Jake Stearns fanned 10 in a complete game three-hitter and Tyler Morini's four-hit day led the Massasoit baseball team to its fifth win in a row, defeating Holyoke CC on the road, 8-1.

Stearns, from Plymouth, was masterful again on the mound, yielding only one run off three hits in the nine-inning complete game effort. The southpaw struck out at least one batter in eight of nine frames of work, with five punch outs swinging and five looking.

The Massasoit lineup pounded out 14 hits, led by sophomore Tyler Morini (Plymouth). The Warriors' (7-10) top hitter in 2016 kept swinging a hot stick going a perfect 4-for-4, with a double, two runs scored and one RBI.

Fellow sophomore Justin Martinho (Dighton) posted a three-hit day with two RBI, while Alex Carey (East Bridgewater), Evan McSherry (Halifax) and Kevin Huscher (Middleboro) all roped two hits in the win. Carey and Huscher each added one RBI.

"Jake (Stearns) was on and Tyler Morini was a scalding 4-for-4 for us today," head coach Tom Frizzell said. "Stearns had 10 strikeouts which was huge and two of his three walks came against the nine-hole hitter.

"Offensively we got production up and down the lineup and really took advantage of when we had runners on base. We played well in all three phases and actually got out to a lead for one of the first times this year. This win leads us into Saturday with a big doubleheader against Northern Essex."

Scoreless entering the top of the second, Massasoit put up its first crooked number on the scoreboard. The Warriors strung together four consecutive hits with Morini and Dylan Ashburn (Norton) getting the rally started with singles. Carey followed up with a ringing two-run double to left and he would score off a RBI base hit by Martinho to own a 3-0 advantage.

HCC (1-5) touched home for its lone time in the bottom half of the fourth, for the only blemish against Stearns. The Warriors responded the next half inning, scoring three times in the fifth and twice more in the sixth, which proved to be more than enough run support for the southpaw starter.

Stearns has now fanned 23 batters to only three walks over his last two starts spanning 16 innings. He has allowed just one run and three hits over that stretch, after posting a seven-inning perfect game against MassBay CC on Saturday.  

Massasoit hosts Northern Essex in a doubleheader on Saturday starting at 12 PM and Bridgton Academy in a twinbill on Sunday at 1 PM.