Baseball Downs Newbury

Chris Kendrick (@CKendrick86)

NORTHBOROUGH, Mass. – The Elms College baseball team registered an 8-2 victory over Newbury College in a New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) game at the New England Baseball Complex Sunday night. The Blazers improve to 24-7 on the season, and 7-4 in conference play, while Newbury drops to 1-8 in the NECC, and 10-14 overall.

The Blazers grabbed an early lead in the top of the first inning as sophomore Andy Vasquez (Queens, N.Y.) drew a two-out bases loaded RBI walk to stake Elms to a 1-0 lead. With one out in the second, junior Brian Hungerford (New Preston, Conn.) walked, stole second base, and then came around to score on an RBI fielder's choice from junior Jordan Zima (Berlin, Conn.) to give the Blazers a 2-0 lead.

With two outs in the top of the fourth, Elms junior Tim Gelzinis (North Dighton, Mass.) scored from first on a Nighthawks fielding error, followed by an RBI single from senior Nolan Medeiros (Taunton, Mass.) to extend the Blazers lead to 4-0.

After Elms senior Tom Weldon (Springfield, Mass.) held Newbury hitless through the first three innings, the Nighthawks cracked the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth as senior Ryan Zahornasky (Shelton, Conn.) launched a two-run home run to cut the Blazers lead to 4-2.

With two outs in the top of the sixth, Elms added insurance runs, starting with an RBI single from freshman Alex Hoss (Stafford Springs, Conn.) to score Medeiros. Junior Aedin Wadja (Lebanon, Conn.) ripped an RBI double down the left field line, followed by an RBI single from junior Stephen Harrison (Southbury, Conn.) to build a secure the 7-2 victory.

Medeiros, Hoss, and Wadja led the way at the dish for Elms with two hits, an RBI, and a run scored. Wadja came home twice, while Zima drove in two runs. Weldon (8-0) held the Nighthawks to two runs on four hits while matching a season-high with 10 strikeouts in a complete game effort. Weldon becomes Elms' all-time leader in career complete games with 12.

Zahornasky went 1-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs for Newbury. Sophomore Jacob Pringle (2-3; Acushnet, Mass.) took the loss, allowing four runs, two earned, on five hits with four strikeouts.

The Blazers will be back in action when they host Lesley University in an NECC game at MacKenzie Stadium at 7:30 p.m. Newbury travels to Rivier for a non-conference game Tuesday night at 7:00 p.m.

ELMS BASEBALL