Baseball Soars Past Westfield State

Chris Kendrick (@CKendrick86)

WESTFIELD, Mass. – The Elms College baseball team defeated host Westfield State University, 9-3, in a non-conference game at Bud and Jim Hagan Field Wednesday afternoon. The Blazers improve to 19-4 on the year, while the Owls fall to 9-9 overall.

The Blazers cracked the scoreboard in the first inning as freshman Alex Hoss (Stafford Springs, Fla.) knocked a leadoff single, and then came around to score on a sacrifice fly from junior Tim Gelzinis (N. Dighton, Mass.) to stake Elms to a 1-0 lead.

With two outs in the top of the second, the Blazers extended their advantage with an RBI single from junior Stephen Harrison (Southbury, Conn.), followed by Gelzinis drawing a bases loaded walk to make it a 3-0 game. Sophomore Andy Vasquez (Queens, N.Y.) ripped an RBI single to left field, and then freshman Josh Berthiaume (Pittsfield, Mass.) scored on an Owl fielding error to push the gap to 5-0.

The Owls chipped away at the deficit in the bottom of the fourth with junior Kyle Murphy (Westfield, Mass.) delivering an RBI single, followed by an RBI single from freshman Colin Dunn (Westfield, Mass.). Murphy came home on a double steal with Dunn to trim the Blazers lead to 5-3 after four innings.

Elms regained the lead in the top of the sixth behind two-out RBI singles from Berthiaume and Gelzinis to put the Blazers ahead 7-3. Elms tacked on a pair of runs in the seventh with sophomore Dan Brunetti (Enfield, Conn.) scoring on a fielding error, and then an RBI single from junior Aedin Wadja (Lebanon, Conn.) to build a 9-3 lead for the Blazers. The Owls managed just one hit over the final three innings as Elms locked up the 9-3 win.

Gelzinis led the way for the Blazers driving in three runs on a 1-for-3 day, while Wadja and Harrison both went 2-for-5 with an RBI. Hoss and sophomore Ben Ross (Thompson, Conn.) each scored twice. Elms senior Tom Weldon (6-0; Springfield, Mass.) collected the win in seven innings of work, allowing three runs and six hits with five strikeouts. Senior Brian Langdon (Beacon Falls, Conn.) gave up one hit in two scoreless innings of relief.

Dunn paced the Owls at the dish, going 3-for-4 with an RBI. Senior Danny DiMatteo (Dennis, Mass.) was 2-for-3, while Murphy scored and drove in a run. Sophomore Ray Bell (1-2; North Grafton, Mass.) surrendered five runs, three earned, on three hits with a strikeout in 1.2 innings pitched.

The Blazers will be back on the diamond with a non-conference road trip to Springfield College Thursday afternoon. First pitch is slated for 3:30 p.m. Westfield hosts Bridgewater State in a MASCAC doubleheader Saturday at Noon.

ELMS BASEBALL