Six-Run Eighth Inning Lifts Baseball to 9-3 Victory Over Castleton State College

CASTLETON, Vt. – The Elms College baseball team used a six-run eighth inning to help the seventh-seed Blazers secure a 9-3 victory over No. 2 Castleton State College in Wednesday afternoon's Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III Championship First Round contest in Castleton, Vt.

Elms (20-19) will play the winner of No. 3 MIT (23-11) and No. 6 Mitchell College (23-14) on Saturday, May 11 at 3:00 p.m. The Engineers and Mariners play on Friday, May 10 following a postponement due to inclement weather on Wednesday. The game will be played at MIT with top-seeded Suffolk University as the host. 

In the top of the first inning, Elms' freshman left fielder Dan McCormack (Shelton, Conn.) led off the frame with a single through the left side, advanced to third when freshman shortstop Nolan Medeiros (Taunton, Mass.) reached on a throwing error and then scored on a groundout by junior catcher Zachary Dreher (Naugatuck, Conn.). A single by junior designated hitter Sam Farnsworth (Westfield, Mass.) allowed Medeiros to come home with the second run of the frame before Castleton State was able to get out the jam using a fielder's choice and a groundout.

Blazers' senior pitcher John Russell (Springfield, Mass.) cruised through the first five innings before Castleton State scored in the home half of the sixth frame. Ryan Zielinski (Schenectady, N.Y.) connected for a leadoff base hit, stole second, advanced to third on a fly out and then scored on an RBI groundout by Connor Hoagland (Granville, N.Y.) to pull the Spartans to within one at 2-1.

Elms extended its lead back to two in the top of the seventh when senior center fielder Stephen Fisher (West Boylston, Mass.) laced a leadoff double to deep center, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by junior first baseman Alex King (Lebanon, Conn.) and then scored on an RBI fielder's choice by sophomore third baseman Geoffrey Frost (Ludlow, Mass.) to set the score at 3-1. Spartans' pitcher Patrick Riley (South Stratford, Vt.) then induced a pair of groundouts to keep the difference at two runs.

The Spartans tied the game in the bottom of the seventh frame when Macyn Clifford (Brooline, N.H.) laced a double to start the stanza and then scored when Allen White (Rutland, Vt.) singled to right field and then advanced to third on the throw in from the outfield and a Blazers' error. A sacrifice fly by Mat Pause (Hartford, Vt.) allowed White to cross home with the tying run to set the score at 3-3.

The top of the eighth saw Elms load the bases when Dreher was hit by a pitch, Farnsworth doubled to left center and sophomore right fielder Brady Forrest (Hampden, Mass.) reach on an infield miscue. Fisher then drilled a two-run double to left field to give the Blazers a 5-3 advantage. A free pass issued to King jammed the sacks again for Frost who ripped a two-run two-bagger down the left field line to extend the lead to 7-3. Freshman second baseman Aedin Wadja (Lebanon, Conn.) followed with a two-run double down the left field line to lift the score to 9-3.

Riley was lifted in favor of Adam Greenlese (Shokan, N.Y.) who pitched a scoreless ninth inning for Castleton State.

Riley suffered the loss. He allowed nine runs (seven earned) on nine hits and struck out two. Russell earned the win for the Blazers allowing three runs (two earned) and scattered six hits in 7.0 innings of work to improve to 3-3 on the season.

Elms' freshman Thomas Weldon (Springfield, Mass.) entered in relief of Russell to start the eighth inning and held the Spartans scoreless through two frames despite loading the bases in the bottom of the ninth.

Farnsworth was 3 for 4 with an RBI, while Frost drove in three runs to highlight his 1 for 4 effort at the dish. Fisher was 2 for 5 with two runs scored and two RBI.

Matt McNamee (Pawling, N.Y.) and White were each 2 for 4 in the losing effort for the Spartans.

Castleton State concludes its season 28-14 overall.