Baseball Splits NECC Twinbill With Becker

BASEBALL SPLITS NECC BASEBALL DOUBLEHEADER WITH BECKER

Box scores

CHICOPEE, MA, April 5, 2009 - Elms College freshman right fielder Zach Cerra (South Windsor, CT) went 3 for 4 with six RBI and sophomore pitcher Matt Wood (Feeding Hills, MA) fired a complete-game, six-hitter to help the Blazers defeat Becker College 9-2 in the nightcap of a New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) baseball doubleheader at MacKenzie Stadium.

Becker, which posted a 3-0 shutout in game one, moved to 8-7-1 overall, 3-1 NECC. Elms College has won three of its last four to move to 8-9 overall, 2-2 NECC.

Elms College's offensive came to life early in the second game, as the Blazers erupted for four runs in the first and three more in the second to take a commanding 7-0 lead.

Sophomore second baseman Brendan Cordeiro (Berkley, MA) led off the game with a walk, sophomore catcher Carm Bonavita (Springfield, MA) was then hit by a pitch and freshman third baseman Nicolino Iavicoli (Hampden, MA) followed with a single to load the bases.

Cerra then crushed a bases-clearing, three-run triple off the top of the fence in deep center field to chase Becker senior starting pitcher Aaron Sayad (Chicago, IL) from the game and give the Blazers a quick 3-0 lead.

Junior designated hitter Justin Jacobs (Springhill, FL) then plated Cerra with a RBI groundout to extend Elms College's advantage to 4-0.

The Blazers began to pour it on in the second when Bonavita delivered a RBI sacrifice fly and Cerra followed three batters later with a two-run single up the middle to run Elms College's lead to 7-0.

Cerra recorded his collegiate career-high sixth RBI of the game in the sixth inning with a RBI double and freshman catcher Reynaldo Rivera (San Juan, Puerto Rico) followed with a RBI single later in the frame.

Becker senior first baseman Dan Briand (Northbridge, MA) broke up Wood's shutout bid with a two-run double to left center in the top of the seventh.

Wood was solid, as he struck out six and walked none en route to his first win of the season.

Rivera was 3 for 4, while Iavicoli finished 2 for 4 with two runs scored for the Blazers, who pounded out 12 hits.

In game one, Becker sophomore pitcher Errick Maddern (West Haven, CT) was sensational, as he twirled a complete-game, three-hit shutout with three strikeouts to improve to 3-1 on the season.

Senior designated hitter Frank Vaccaro (Shrewsbury, MA) broke a scoreless tie in the fourth with a RBI double to plate Briand and give the Hawks a 1-0 lead.

It remained a 1-0 game into the second when sophomore second baseman Keith Kandel (Fresno, CA) smacked a RBI single and sophomore shortstop Jairo Valdez (Lynn, MA) followed with a RBI double for the 3-0 final.

Elms College junior pitcher Dan Ingraham (Granby, MA) allowed just two earned runs on eight hits as the tough-luck loser in a solid complete-game effort.

The Blazers return to non-conference play when they host Wesleyan University on Wednesday, April 8. Game time is 7:30 p.m. at MacKenzie Stadium.