Baseball Can't Dig Out Of Early Hole At Springfield

Baseball Can't Dig Out Of Early Hole At Springfield

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – The Elms College baseball team couldn't dig out of an early hole at Springfield College on Tuesday afternoon, falling 8-1 to the Pride.

Springfield hung four runs on Blazer (11-21) starter Brandon Bennett  (Easthampton, Mass.) in the bottom of the first inning and the Blazers trailed 7-0 before getting on the board with an RBI single from Jaeden Rasmus (Bristol, Conn.) in the top of the fifth. But despite seven Elms hits in the game, that was the only run the Blazers could get across the plate. Rasmus finished with two hits in the game to lead the Blazer offense.

Bennett gave way to Mickey Howe (South Windsor, Conn.) after three innings, and Howe racked up five strikeouts and gave up just one run in three innings of work. Jamie Ryan (Easthampton, Mass.) avoided giving up a run despite walking three batters in the seventh, and Michael Luciano (Melrose, Mass.) pitched a scoreless eighth for the Blazers.

Pride (21-11-2) pitcher Joe Gamache (Lebanon, Conn.) got the win after throwing six innings of one-run ball. He struck out four Elms batters and walked just one. Jodran Elkary (North Easton, Mass.) kept Elms off the board in the seventh and eighth innings and Zach Kerr (Niskayuna, N.Y.) came in to record the final three outs.

Springfield collected 11 hits in the game, led by Jack Cooney (Pittsfield, Mass.) who had three hits and four RBIs.

The Blazers continue a busy out-of-conference slate this week with trips to MCLA (April 25) and Eastern Connecticut State (April 26) before beginning a three-game series against Mitchell with a double-header at home on April 28. The regular-season finale is April 29 at Mitchell. The Pride host Amherst on April 26.