Baseball Matches Program Win Mark in Victory at Springfield

Chris Kendrick (@CKendrick86)

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – The Elms College baseball team registered an 11-2 non-conference victory over host Springfield College at Berry Allen Field Thursday afternoon. The Blazers improve to 20-4 on the season, matching the program mark for most wins in a season, while Springfield drops to 6-9-1 overall. The Blazers lone 20-win season came during the 2013 campaign.

The Blazers struck first in the top of the first inning as junior Aedin Wadja (Lebanon, Conn.) lifted a sacrifice fly to centerfield, scoring freshman Alex Hoss (Stafford Springs, Conn.) to give Elms a 1-0 lead.

In the top of the second, the Blazers created separation on the scoreboard with a six-run inning. Senior Nolan Medeiros (Taunton, Mass.) delivered an RBI single, followed by sophomore Dan Brunetti (Enfield, Conn.) coming home on a Pride fielding error. Hoss and Wadja laced back-to-back RBI singles, and then freshman Josh Berthiaume (Pittsfield, Mass.) ripped a two-run double to right-centerfield, extending the Blazers lead to 7-0.

Wadja scored on an RBI sac fly from junior Tim Gelzinis (N. Dighton, Mass.) in the top of the fourth to push Elms to an 8-0 advantage. The Pride dented the scoreboard in the bottom of the frame as freshman Matt Fraioli (Stamford, Conn.) drew a bases loaded walk, followed by an RBI single from senior Colin King (Berlin, Conn.) to trim the Blazers lead to 8-2 after four innings.

The Blazers responded with an RBI single from sophomore Andy Vasquez (Queens, N.Y.) in the sixth, and then Medeiros scoring in the seventh on a Springfield fielding error. Elms tacked on their final run in the top of the ninth behind an RBI single from Brunetti en route to the 11-2 win.

Elms cranked out a season-high 18 hits during the contest, led by a game-high 4-for-6 effort from Brunetti. Medeiros collected three hits, while Hoss, Wadja, junior Stephen Harrison (Southbury, Conn.), Berthiaume and Vasquez recorded two hits apiece. Wadja and Berthiaume drove in two runs each in the win. Senior Andrew Sadowski (4-2; Northampton, Mass.) earned the win in seven innings of work, giving up two runs, both unearned, on seven hits. Senior Kyle Bartlett (Huntington, Mass.) fanned three batters in two scoreless innings of relief.

Fraioli led the Pride at the dish with a 2-for-2 day and an RBI. Senior Jack Baldwin (0-1; Southampton, Mass.) took the loss, surrendering eight runs, five earned, on seven hits.

The Blazers return to action with a non-conference home doubleheader against Anna Maria College at MacKenzie Stadium Saturday afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. Springfield hosts Wheaton in a NEWMAC doubleheader Saturday at 11:30 a.m.

ELMS BASEBALL