Fisher’s Walk-Off RBI Lifts Baseball To 4-3 Win Over Wesleyan University (Conn.)

Box Score

HOLYOKE, Mass. – Elms College sophomore center fielder Stephen Fisher (West Boylston, Mass.) delivered a walk-off RBI driving in sophomore second baseman Andrew Kravontka (Manchester, Conn.) with the game-winning run to lift the Blazers to a thrilling 4-3 victory over Wesleyan University (Conn.) in Wednesday evening's non-conference baseball game at MacKenzie Stadium in Holyoke, Mass.

With its first-ever win over Wesleyan, Elms improves to 7-8 on the season, while the Cardinals move to 12-10 overall.

Trailing 3-1 in the top of the ninth inning, Kyle Weiss (Niantic, Conn.) led off the frame with a walk and then advanced to second on a wild pitch. A groundout advanced Weiss to third before Julian Sonnenfeld (Matawan, N.J.) ripped an RBI single to cut Elms' lead to 3-2. A pair of singles loaded the bases for Justin Freres (Santa Barbara, Calif.) who reached on a two-out error allowing Derek Dettorre (Wakefield, Mass.) to cross the dish with the game-tying run. Blazers' left-handed reliever Andrew Bunger (Southington, Conn.) then entered and fanned the ensuing batter to get Elms out of the jam with the score still knotted at 3-3.

Chris Bonti (Tampa, Fla.) who started the game at third base took the hill for the bottom of the ninth and surrendered a leadoff double to Kravontka to give Elms a runner in scoring position with no outs. A perfectly placed bunt single by senior shortstop Brendan Cordeiro (Berkley, Mass.) gave the Blazers runners on the corners for Fisher who delivered his game-winning RBI on a fielder's choice to second base.

Bunger earned the victory and improved to 2-1 on the season, while Bonti suffered the loss and moves to 0-1 overall.

The Cardinals plated a run in the top of the first when Weiss laced a leadoff double, moved to third on a groundout and came full circle on a sacrifice fly to center field by Sonnenfeld to give the Cardinals a 1-0 lead.

The Blazers answered back in the bottom of the second when junior left fielder Donald Morse (Alfred, Maine) smacked a triple to start the frame and came home on an RBI two-bagger by senior first baseman Hector Roche (Bronx, N.Y.) to even the game at 1-1. A one-out groundout moved Roche to third before senior catcher Carm Bonavita (Springfield, Mass.) reached on an infield error allowing Roche to race home with the go-ahead run. Wesleyan starting pitcher Chase Levi (Somers, N.Y.) then induced an inning-ending groundout to keep the Blazers' advantage at 2-1.

An RBI single by junior third baseman Nicolino Iavicoli (Hampden, Mass.) drove in Brendan Cordeiro who singled earlier in the stanza, lifting Elms' lead to 3-1.

Elms' freshman starter Curtis LeBeau (Auburn, Mass.) pitched the first two innings and allowed one run on two hits and was followed on the mound by senior southpaw Nick Cordeiro (Berkley, Mass.) and sophomore righty Ryan Burnette (Chicopee, Mass.) who combined to pitch 5.1 innings of scoreless relief.

Morse was 2 for 4 at the plate with a run scored, and Brendan Cordeiro was 2 for 5 with a run scored, while Fisher, Iavicoli and Roche each drove in a run in the winning effort.

Weiss and Joe Giaimo (Gillette, N.J.) had two hits each for the Cardinals, while Sonnenfeld drove in a pair of runs.

Michael Migiel-Schwartz (Ithaca, N.Y.) pitched three innings of scoreless relief for Wesleyan and earned a no-decision.

Elms returns to non-conference action on Thursday, April 7 when it travels to Nichols College for a 3:30 p.m. game.