Baseball Splits with Lakeland College in Gene Cusic Classic Action

FORT MYERS, Fla. – The Elms College baseball team split with Lakeland College in the Blazers' season opener at the Gene Cusic Classic in Fort Myers, Fla. Elms lost the first game, 4-3 and won the second 3-2 in nine innings.

In the first game, Elms held a 3-2 lead in the top of the seventh before Lakeland loaded the bases and used a two-run double to post a 4-3 victory.

Elms' senior centerfielder Stephen Fisher (West Boylston, Mass.), junior shortstop Alex King (Lebanon, Conn.), sophomore catcher Kevin Dwire (Ellington, Conn.) and sophomore infielder Geoffrey Frost (Ludlow, Mass.) each registered singles in the game, while freshman infielder Nolan Medeiros (Taunton, Mass.) connected for a double and scored a run.

Fisher and Dwire also scored runs, while Blazers' starting pitcher John Russell (Springfield, Mass.) went 6.1 innings allowing two runs on the hill and earned a no-decision.  

Junior reliever Derek Leal (Charlton, Mass.) pitches two thirds of an inning and allowed two runs and suffered the loss.

In game two, Elms posted a 3-2 win in nine innings. Junior pitcher Curtis LeBeau (Auburn, Mass.) allowed two runs on six hits. He walked three hitters and struck out three batters in five innings on the mound. Freshman reliever Sean Sinnott (Granby, Conn.) pitched four innings and allowed just one hit, one walk and fanned four hitters to earn his first-collegiate win.

In the top if the seventh, Frost delivered a pinch-hit sacrifice fly to tie the game at 2-2 and in the top of the ninth, Dwire scored what stood as the game-winning run after he doubled and later scored on a sacrifice bunt attempt by freshman outfielder Dan McCormack (Shelton, Conn.) that resulted in a Lakeland error.

Dwire finished the game 2 for 4 at the plate with two runs scored, while McCormack went 2 for 4 with a pair of doubles.

Freshman infielder Aedin Wadja (Lebanon, Conn.) and King added a single each in the winning effort.

Elms returns to action on Monday, March 11 with a double-header against Westminster (Mo.) beginning at 1:00 p.m.