Blazers Split NECC Doubleheader with Hawks

GAME ONE: Elms 7, Becker 1

Elms' Kevin Banas (Hatfield, MA) earned his second win of the season, giving up just one Hawk run on six hits.  He struck out eight batters in the complete-game. Each team scored one run in the first inning, the Blazers got their run off of a Tyler Galenski (Wilbraham, MA) RBI double.

Elms took the lead in the top of the fourth on a two-run single from Jake Slahtosky (South Windsor, CT), plating Austin Roy (Cromwell, CT) and Kyle Powell (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) for the 4-2 advantage, and never looked back. Josh Keaton (Northbridge, MA) added another run on a solo shot over the left field fence in the top of the sixth. Three more Blazers runs were tacked on in the seventh inning on an RBI single from Roy, an RBI walk, and an RBI hit-by-pitch.

Galenski and Roy each had two hits for the Blazers, while Keaton and Powell each recorded two runs for Elms. Slahtosky led Elms with a game-high three RBI.

GAME TWO: Becker 6, Elms 5

The Blazers led 5-3 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning. The Hawks led off the inning with a single to right field.  Elms just needed one more out following back-to-back strikeouts from Damon Wesley (Springfield, MA), however, Becker rallied.  The Hawks' tying runner, reached base on balls to put runners on first and second.  A singled through the left side to plated a run.  A double down the left field line to knotted the score at 5-5.  With runners on second and third, the Hawks got a huge single up the middle, plating the winning.

Becker had the first lead of the game with two runs in the first on three hits and one error. The Hawks scored on a wild pitch, and then an RBI single.  Elms came back with two runs in the top of the fourth on a two-run single from Will Kennedy (Holyoke, Mass.).  The Hawks took the lead back in the flip side of the inning on an RBI single.

It wasn't until the top of the sixth that the Blazers took the lead back on a two-RBI single from Galenski.  Elms added another run on a balk, advancing the score to 5-3.  The rally in the bottom of the seventh, resulted in the split for the Blazers.

Elms is back on the field Sunday 3/8 with a doubleheader against Mt. St. Joseph at 9:20am and 12PM.