Five-Run Fourth Inning Lifts Baseball Past Daniel Webster College, 9-3

HOLYOKE, Mass. – Elms College sophomore shortstop Nolan Medeiros (Taunton, Mass.) was 2 for 3 with three RBI and sophomore pitcher Tom Weldon (Springfield, Mass.) pitched a complete-game with six strikeouts to help the Blazers secure a 9-3 victory over Daniel Webster College in Thursday evening's New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) baseball game at MacKenzie Stadium.

With the win, Elms improves to 5-10 overall, 1-2 in league play, while Daniel Webster falls to 5-12 on the season, 2-5 in NECC action.

After a scoreless first inning and a half, Elms pushed across three in the bottom of the second when junior third baseman Geoff Frost (Ludlow, Mass.) singled, advanced to second on a base hit by freshman first baseman Jordan Zima (Berlin, Conn.) and then advanced to third on a bunt single by senior right fielder Alex King (Lebanon, Conn.). Freshman left field Tim Gelzinis (North Dighton, Mass.) then drove in Frost with a single before a double play gave Daniel Webster two outs in the inning. Junior center fielder Brady Forrest (Hampden, Mass.) reached on an error scoring King from third, before Medeiros connected for an RBI single to center field to give the Blazers a 3-0 lead.

Elms added to its lead in the bottom of the fourth when Medeiros and senior catcher Zach Dreher (Naugatuck, Conn.) pounded out back-to-back RBI singles followed by a two-run single by Zima later in the inning which gave Elms a 7-0 advantage. Zima later scored on a wild pitch to give Elms an 8-0 cushion.

Daniel Webster got a run back in the top of the sixth when Kyle Brigham (Hudson, N.H.) tripled in Dan Ierardi (Dunstable, Mass.) but Elms was able to get the run back in the bottom of the seventh when Medeiros was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to set the score at 9-1.

The Eagles struck twice more when Brigham grounded into a double play which allowed Ierardi to cross home in the top of the eighth. Dakota Williams (Hudson, N.H.) then drove in Dan Quinn (Auburn, N.H.) with a groundout in the top of the ninth to cap the scoring and set the final score at 9-3.

Weldon (1-3) was stellar on the hill tossing six strikeouts in a complete-game effort. Kieran Koch (New City, N.Y.) (0-2) suffered the loss in 3.2 innings on the mound.

Medeiros, King and Dreher all had two hits in the winning effort, while Zima led the Blazers with three hits.

Ierardi and Brigham were each 2 for 4 for the Eagles, while Manny Cabral (Tewksbury, Mass.) and Brigham each had triples in the loss.

Elms returns to NECC action on Saturday, April 12 when it hosts Newbury College for a pair of seven inning games at MacKenzie Stadium at 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.