Posted: May 04, 2015

Baseball Routs Holyoke CC in Regular Season Finale

HOLYOKE, Mass. – The Elms College baseball squad wrapped up their regular season campaign with a 12-5 victory over visiting Holyoke Community College in a non-conference game at MacKenzie Stadium Monday night. With the win, the Blazers improve to 17-15 overall, while Holyoke CC drops to 9-12 on the season.

Elms struck first in the opening inning as sophomore Jordan Zima (Berlin, Conn.) drove an RBI single through the middle of the diamond, staking the Blazers to a 1-0 lead. The Cougars pulled even at 1-1 in the second behind an RBI single to shallow right field from freshman Mike Prawlucki. With the bases loaded in the bottom of the frame, senior Brady Forrest (Hampden, Mass.) cleared the bases with a three-run double to deep left-centerfield, extending the Elms lead to 4-1. The Blazers used RBI singles from freshman Michael Bombard (Chicopee, Mass.) and sophomore Stephen Harrison (Southbury, Conn.) to take a commanding 6-1 lead after two innings.

In the third inning, Elms made it an 8-1 game on a two-run single from sophomore Tim Gelzinis (North Dighton, Mass.). The Blazers pushed their advantage into double digits in the fourth, starting with an RBI single from freshman Andy Vasquez (Queens, N.Y.). With the bases loaded, freshman Ben Ross (Thompson, Conn.) took an inside fastball off the shoulder, earning the RBI hit by pitch, followed by an RBI sacrifice fly from Forrest, to build a 11-1 lead for Elms.

Trailing 12-1 in the seventh, the Cougars trimmed their deficit into single digits with a pair of runs in the inning, featuring an RBI single from sophomore Tim Danehey and a run scoring on an error, to cut the Blazers lead to 12-3. Holyoke added two runs in the eighth on a two-run bloop single into shallow right field from sophomore Tyler Quiterio, cutting the Elms advantage to 12-5.

Junior Tom Weldon (6-2; Springfield, Mass.) earned the win in relief, firing two scoreless innings with four strikeouts. Junior Andrew Sadowski (Northampton, Mass.) went three innings of work in the start, allowing one run on two hits with three strikeouts. Holyoke sophomore Leonard Denette (0-2) took the loss, surrendering six runs on six hits.

Zima, Harrison and junior Nolan Medeiros (Taunton, Mass.) led the Blazers at the plate, registering three hits apiece. Forrest drove four runs, while Zima and Gelzinis knocked in a pair each. Sophomore Noah Parker went 3-for-5 for the Cougars. Denette had two hits, and Quiterio added two runs batted in.

The Blazers will head to the NECC Tournament this weekend, hosted at Mitchell College. Elms will open play Friday afternoon.

ELMS BASEBALL