Baseball Comes up Short at NEC

Game One – New England College 3, Elms College 1

Game One saw a pitcher's duel, between the Pilgrims, and the Blazers' Kyle Sebastynaski (Auburn, MA) . Neither offense could gain any momentum, as both starters stifled the opposing hitters. NEC threatened in the bottom of the second, third, and fourth, but they stranded runners in scoring position in each of the innings.

Elms was held without a base runner until two outs in the top of the third, as AJ Cook (Mendon, MA) blooped a single to left field.

New England College was able to breakthrough in the bottom of the fifth inning, as BJ Minarcin had a one-out single, before stealing second. Garrett Langis drove in Minarcin with an RBI single, before scoring on a Connor Morin double to center field.
The Blazers finally broke through in the run column in the top of the sixth, as Cole Blades (Lowell, MA) singled home Jake Slahtosky (South Windor, CT) from second, making it 2-1. The Pilgrims added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth, as Minarcin drove home Devin Parson with a sacrifice fly to right. Elms tried to rally in the top of the seventh, but the Pilgrims held them scoreless in the frame.

Cormier pitched a complete game for NEC, going 7.0 innings, allowing one run on four hits, while striking out a career-high 10 batters, and only throwing 77 pitches.

Game Two –New England College 6, Elms College 3

Elms started game two with back-to-back singles, but after two straight outs. Austin Roy (Cromwell, CT) capitalized, as he singled home Slahtosky, but Seamus Higgins (Rutland, MA) was thrown out at the plate. The Blazers extended their lead to 2-0, as Cook drove in Vinny Buono (Springfield, MA) from second.

New England College got on the board in the bottom of the second, as the 'Grims exploded for six runs in the frame. Luca Giallongo, Michael Ciccotell, and Garrett Langis had RBI singles, while Connor Morin and Tyler Gendron had RBI doubles.

Neither team could score in the middle innings, but Elms cut into the deficit in the top of the fifth, as Roy singled home Blades, making it 6-3.

Tim Krol came into the game in relief of Alex Perez in the top of the sixth, as Krol retired all six batters he faced to pick up his first save on the year. Perez recorded his first win of the season, as the sophomore pitched 5.0 innings, allowing three runs and striking out four.

The Blazers are back in action on Monday 4/12 when they host NEC in a double headler at Mackenzie Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30.