Ninth Inning Rally Lifts the University of Maine-Farmington Past Baseball, 6-5

HOLYOKE, Mass. – Elms College freshman pitcher Thomas Weldon (Springfield, Mass.) struck out 10 batters in 7.2 innings of work on the hill, but the University of Maine-Farmington struck for two runs in the top of the ninth to secure a hard-fought, 6-5 victory over the Blazers in Thursday evening's non-conference baseball game at MacKenzie Stadium.

With the loss, Elms moves to 5-6 on the season, while Maine-Farmington starts its season 1-0 overall.

After Blazers' freshman second baseman Aedin Wadja (Lebanon, Conn.) made a spectacular diving play on a hard-hit ball to lead off the top of the ninth frame, Brett Wallingford (Sanford, Maine) earned a one-out walk and was pinch-run for by Sean Cabaniss (Vassalboro, Maine). Cabaniss advanced to second on a groundout, advanced to third on a single by Colin Mello (Windham, Maine) and then scored on a Blazers' error to knot the game at 5-5. Ethan Jean (Jackson, Maine) then connected for a run-scoring single to give Maine-Farmington a 6-5 lead before Elms' freshman reliever Sean Sinnott (Granby, Conn.), who entered with two outs in the eighth, fanned the next batter to end the frame.

In the home half of the ninth, Ian McAlister (Dover, N.H.), who pitched the eighth and ninth innings, retired the first two hitters with strikeouts before Blazers' senior center fielder Stephen Fisher (West Boylston, Mass.) drew a walk and then advanced to second on a single through the left side by junior first baseman Alex King (Lebanon, Conn.) to put the winning run on first. McAlister then induced a game-ending groundout to seal the Beavers' 6-5 come-from-behind win.

Fisher and King each went 2 for 4 at the plate and Fisher scored twice to highlight Elms' offensive efforts, while Mello was 3 for 4 at the dish with two RBI and two runs scored for Maine-Farmington.

McAlister earned the win to improve to 1-0 on the season and struck out five in 2.0 innings of relief. Sinnott pitched 1.1 innings and suffered the loss.

Elms built an early three-run lead with a score in the first and two in the second as King delivered an RBI groundout for the first run, while Wadja and junior catcher Zachary Dreher (Naugatuck, Conn.) each delivered a sacrifice fly in the second.

Mello narrowed the lead to one with a two-out, two-run double in the top of the third and the Beavers tied the game in the top of the fifth when Brian Jenkins (Gorham, Maine) ripped a leadoff single up the middle and later scored on an infield miscue by Elms.

Sacrifice fly outs in the fifth by Blazers' sophomore right fielder Brady Forrest (Hampden, Mass.) and junior designated hitter Sam Farnsworth (Westfield, Mass.) in the seventh allowed Elms to post a 5-3 lead.

Maine-Farmington answered in the top of the eighth when Tom Grady (Whitefield, Maine) doubled in Mello setting up the Beavers' dramatic completion of the comeback in the ninth inning.

McAlister struck out the side in the eighth for Maine-Farmington, while Weldon retired the side in order via strikeout in the sixth inning for the Blazers.

Elms returns to non-conference play on Saturday, March 30 when it hosts Framingham State University at 1:00 p.m. at MacKenzie Stadium in Holyoke, Mass.