Eight-Run Ninth Propels Baseball to 11-5 Victory Over Defiance College

FORT MYERS, Fla. – Elms College senior shortstop Brendan Cordeiro (Berkley, Mass.) went 5 for 6 with four doubles and two runs scored and the Blazers used an eight-run ninth inning to highlight an 11-5 victory over Defiance College in Tuesday's Gene Cusic Classic baseball game in Fort Myers, Fla.

With the win, Elms improves to 4-2 overall, while Defiance falls to 0-3 on the season.

Trailing 5-3 in the top of the ninth, Elms exploded for eight runs as Brendan Cordeiro connected for a one-out double, advanced to third on a single by sophomore center fielder Stephen Fisher (West Boylston, Mass.) and then scored on a bases-clearing triple by junior third baseman Nicolino Iavicoli (Hampden, Mass.) knotting the game at 5-5. Junior left fielder Donald Morse (Alfred, Maine) then hit an RBI single, advanced to second on a base hit by freshman designated hitter Derek Leal (Charlton, Mass.) and came full circle on an RBI base knock by freshman second baseman Anthony Pagano (Cranston, R.I.).

Senior catcher Carm Bonavita (Springfield, Mass.) added an RBI single, and junior right fielder Reynaldo Rivera (San Juan, Puerto Rico) added a two-run double to give Elms a 10-5 lead. Brendan Cordeiro then picked up his fourth two-bagger of the contest and his second RBI sending freshman first baseman Zachary Dreher (Naugatuck, Conn.), who had reached on a walk earlier in the inning, home with the Blazers' 11^th run of the game.

Defiance placed its leadoff runner on base in the bottom of the ninth and advanced him as far as second but three straight groundouts allowed Elms to capture an 11-5 victory.

Elms' junior left-handed reliever Andrew Bunger (Southington, Conn.) pitched three innings of relief and earned his first win of the season, striking out two batters, while freshman right-hander Curtis LeBeau (Auburn, Mass.) tossed a scoreless ninth inning to help preserve the win.

Elms took an early one-run lead in the top of the first when Brendan Cordeiro connected for a double to start the game. Fisher was hit by a pitch and Iavicoli earned a free pass to load the bases. Following a strikeout, Leal drove in Brendan Cordeiro with an RBI walk before another strikeout and a groundout allowed the Yellow Jackets to get out of the inning without further damage.

Defiance took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the second before the Blazers evened the contest at 2-2 with an RBI single by Dreher that scored Pagano who had led off the inning with a walk.

An RBI single by Brendan Cordeiro in the top of the sixth gave Elms a slim 3-2 lead before the Yellow Jackets answered with a pair of runs in the home half of the sixth and another run in the seventh to post a 5-3 advantage which they held on to until Elms' surge in the top of the ninth.

Elms returns to Gene Cusic Classic action on Wednesday, March 9 for a 10:00 a.m. contest with Monmoth College and a 1:00 p.m. game against the Merchant Marine Academy.

Parents, fans, and alumni will have the opportunity to watch these games live online for only $15 – a percentage of which is shared with the Gene Cusic Classic to help support the tournament's continuing operations.  Click here to watch Elms College baseball live on Wednesday, March 9.