Baseball Sweeps Southern Vermont On Senior Day

Chris Kendrick (@CKendrick86)

HOLYOKE, Mass. – The Elms College baseball squad visiting Southern Vermont College in a New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) doubleheader at MacKenzie Stadium Saturday afternoon. The Blazers sit at 27-10 overall, and 9-6 in conference play, while the Mountaineers move to 10-4 in the NECC, and 18-14 on the season.

Prior to the first game, the Blazers honored their departing seniors, Nolan Medeiros (Taunton, Mass.), Derron Simpson (Hempstead, N.Y.), Tom Weldon (Springfield, Mass.), Kyle Bartlett (Huntington, Mass.), R.J. Lyrenmann (Glendale, Ariz.), Brian Langdon (Beacon Falls, Conn.), Peter Gilbert (Easthampton, Mass.), Andrew Sadowski (Northampton, Mass.), and Bryan Leonard (Vernon, Vt.) for their contributions to the baseball program.

Game 1: Elms 6, Southern Vermont 2

Southern Vermont grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the first as freshman Zack Stacey (Saratoga, N.Y.) scored on an RBI single from classmate Cody Sullivan (Brunswick, N.Y.). The Blazers evened the score in the bottom of the frame with an RBI single from junior Jordan Zima (Berlin, Conn.) to tie things at 1-1. Elms took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the second behind an RBI groundout from junior Brian Hungerford (New Preston, Conn.).

The Blazers added to their advantage in the fourth with a three-run inning, kicked off with Hungerford bringing in a run on a bases load walk. With bases loaded and two outs, junior Aedin Wadja (Lebanon, Conn.) ripped a ball to the right side of the diamond, which was knocked down by Sullivan at first base, allowing sophomore Dan Brunetti (Enfield, Conn.) and senior Nolan Medeiros (Taunton, Mass.) to race home, handing Elms a 5-1 lead.

The Mountaineers trimmed into the deficit behind as Stacey lined an RBI single down the left field line, to cut the Blazers lead to 5-2 in the fifth. Elms tacked on an insurance run in the sixth on a sacrifice fly from freshman Alex Hoss (Stafford Springs, Conn.) to secure the 6-2 victory.

Wadja led the Blazers at the dish, going 2-for-4 with two RBIs, while Brunetti and Medeiros each scored twice. Weldon (10-0) earned the complete game victory, giving up two unearned runs on three hits while fanning eight hitters.

Stacey went 1-for-3 for Southern Vermont with an RBI and a run scored. Mountaineers sophomore Jean-Carlos Berasgoico (New York City, N.Y.) allowed six runs, four earned, on seven hits with a pair of strikeouts.

Game 2: Elms 6, Southern Vermont 0

The Blazers captured a 1-0 lead in the first as Brunetti delivered a bases loaded RBI infield single to score Wadja. In the bottom of the second, Elms extended their advantage to 3-0 behind an RBI single from Hoss and an RBI fielder's choice from Wadja.

Hungerford ripped an RBI double into the right-centerfield gap and Medeiros scored from first base to push the Blazers lead to 4-0 in the bottom of the third.

After leading off the sixth with a single, Simpson scored on a single from Zima, followed by Wadja coming home after the ball was misplayed in centerfield to send Elms to the 6-0 victory.

Hungerford went 3-for-3 at the dish with a run scored and an RBI, while Zima was 3-for-4 with an RBI. Wadja scored twice and drove in a run, while Medeiros and Lyrenmann both crossed home. Sadowski (6-3) twirled a complete game shutout, limiting the Mountaineers to four hits with five strikeouts.

Freshman Dan Mason (Bloomingdale, N.J.) paced Southern Vermont going 2-for-3, while senior R.J. Pingitore (Perth, N.Y.) and sophomore Luigi Magliocca (Broadalbin, N.Y.) added a hit apiece. Pingitore (1-1) was saddled with the loss, surrendering six runs, four earned, on 11 hits with a strikeout.

The Blazers and Mountaineers will return to action for their regular season and series finale at Bill Epstein Field Sunday at Noon.

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