Baseball Slugs Past Union

Chris Kendrick (@CKendrick86)

HOLYOKE, Mass. – The Elms College baseball team defeated visiting Union College, 10-2, in a non-conference game at MacKenzie Stadium. The Blazers improve to 27-9 on the season, while Union dips to 14-8 overall. Elms registers their first victory over Union College in the inaugural meeting in 2006.

The Dutchmen threatened in the first inning as senior Eric Egan (Latham, N.Y.) singled with runners on first and second, but Elms junior Aedin Wadja (Lebanon, Conn.) cut down sophomore Harrison Glatt (Summit, N.J.) at home to keep the game scoreless. The Blazers cracked the scoreboard in the bottom of the frame with junior Jordan Zima (Berlin, Conn.) plating freshman Alex Hoss (Stafford Springs, Conn.) on an RBI single to right field, followed by an RBI double from junior Tim Gelzinis (North Dighton, Mass.) to stake Elms to a 2-0 lead.

The Blazers extended their lead in the bottom of the second as junior Stephen Harrison (Southbury, Conn.) laced a two-run double into the right-centerfield gap, and then came around to score as Zima ripped an RBI single down the left field line to hand Elms a 5-0 advantage.

Union broke through in the top of the fourth with freshman Joe Ganim (Easton, Conn.) knocking an RBI double to deep centerfield to score senior Eric Egan (Lathan, N.Y.). The Dutchmen cut the deficit to 5-2 as Ganim raced home on a double steal. Elms added to their lead in the bottom of the fifth with senior Nolan Medeiros (Taunton, Mass.) scoring Gelzinis with an RBI single down the left field line.

The Blazers padded their lead as senior R.J. Lyrenmann (Glendale, Ariz.) ripped a two-run triple over the head of the Dutchmen left fielder in the seventh, and then Zima added an RBI fielder's choice in the eighth, sending Elms to the 10-2 victory.

Elms cranked out 14 hits in the win, led by Wadja, who was 3-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI. Zima drove in three runs, while Harrison and Lyrenmann knocked in a pair.  Harrison, Zima, Gelzinis, Medeiros, and Lyrenmann tallied two hits each. Elms freshman Tom Owens (5-1; Enfield, Conn.) went six innings to earn the win, allowing two runs on five hits with a pair of strikeouts.

Egan and Glatt led the Dutchmen with two hits apiece, while Ganim drove in a run and scored. Union freshman Tim Curtis (1-2; Manhasset, N.Y.) allowed seven runs, six earned, on nine hits with two strikeouts in the loss.

The Blazers return to the diamond Thursday afternoon with a non-conference road trip to MCLA for 4:00 p.m. first pitch. Union heads to St. Lawrence University for a Liberty League doubleheader Saturday at 1:00 p.m.

ELMS BASEBALL