Baseball Swings by Lesley University, 13-1 – Ties Program Record for Wins

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – The Elms College baseball team earned a 13-1 victory over New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) foe Lesley University to complete the series sweep and tie the program's record for single season wins (18) on Wednesday evening at Trum Field in Cambridge, Mass.

With the win, Elms improves to 18-14 overall, 10-5 in NECC action, while Lesley moves to 13-14 on the season, 6-9 in league play. The victory is the Blazers' fifth in a row and ties the program record for wins in a single season (18) set in 2009.

Elms' sophomore right fielder Brady Forrest (Hampden, Mass.) was 3 for 5 with four RBI and a run scored, while freshman shortstop Nolan Medeiros (Taunton, Mass.) was 3 for 6 with three runs scored and freshman second baseman Aedin Wadja (Lebanon, Conn.) was 3 for 5 with two RBI and a run scored.

Junior catcher Zachary Dreher (Naugatuck, Conn.) and junior first baseman Alex King (Lebanon, Conn.) also collected two hits each and drove in a pair of runs, while senior center fielder Stephen Fisher (West Boylston, Mass.) added a pair of hits as the Blazers finished with 18 hits in the outing.

Leading 2-0 in the game with single runs in each of the first two frames, Elms exploded for six runs in the top of the third inning using RBI singles from junior designated hitter Sam Farnsworth (Westfield, Mass.), Fisher and King and a two-run base hit from Wadja to set the score at 8-0.

Elms' junior starting pitcher Curtis LeBeau (Auburn, Mass.) pitched six scoreless innings before allowing a run to cross in the seventh on an RBI groundout by Ryan McQuade (Rochester, N.H.). LeBeau earned the win surrendering just the one run on seven hits in 7.0 innings pitched. He struck out three batters to improve to 3-3 on the season. Senior right-handed reliever Ryan Burnette (Chicopee, Mass.) tossed two frames of scoreless relief and scattered just three hits.

Elms extended its lead to 9-1 in the top of the eighth and tacked on four more runs in the top of the ninth highlighted by Dreher's RBI single, an RBI pinch-hit groundout by sophomore Kevin Dwire (Ellington, Conn.) and a two-run two-bagger to right field by Forrest to set the final score at 13-1. Freshman outfielder RJ Lyrenmann (Glendale, Ariz.) pinch-hit in the frame to record his first collegiate hit. 

David Hersey (Wolfeboro, N.H.) was 3 for 4 while Casey Blanchard (Bernardston, Mass.) and Adam Ciampi (Westford, Mass.) added two hits apiece. Jeff Landry (Vestal, N.Y.) suffered the loss on the hill to move to 2-2 on the hill. He allowed eight runs (six earned) on 12 hits in 6.0 innings and struck out one.

Elms returns to action on Thursday, April 25 with a non-league tilt at MCLA at 3:30 p.m.