Baseball Creates Two Late Rallies, but Curry Takes the Sweep

DAVENPORT, Fla. - The Elms College Baseball team traveled to Davenport, Fla. to compete against Curry College in a non-conference doubleheader on Sunday in the 2025 RussMatt Invitational.

BASICS
Game 1
Score: Elms College 6 | Curry College 8
Records: Blazers 2-2, 0-0 (GNAC) | Colonels 2-1, 0-0 (CNE)

Game 2
Score: Elms College 4 | Curry College 6
Records: Blazers 2-3, 0-0 (GNAC) | Colonels 3-1, 0-0 (CNE)

HOW IT HAPPENED

Game 1
Elms would start the game off in a jam, as senior pitcher Henry Rondon (Ansonia, Conn.) struggled through the first two innings, allowing five Curry runs to give the Colonels a quick 7-0 lead, but would earn three strikeouts. In the top of the third inning, senior pitcher/outfielder Trevor Nohilly (Bristol, Conn.) would take the ball and relieve Rondon, pitching three innings and would throw one strikeout. The Blazers got a little momentum in the bottom of the third, as freshman infield/pitcher Brycen Diaz (Andrews, Texas) recorded a two-run double to drive junior infielder Chase Prestia (Newington, Conn.) and senior catcher Nick Kreuzuer (Suffield, Conn.) to cut into the Colonels the lead. Curry would score again twice in the ensuing inning, but Elms would continue to put pressure on the Colonels, with sophomore pitcher Evan Dougherty (Burlington, Conn.) taking over on the mound pitching two innings and two strikeouts, and the offense broke through again in the bottom of the sixth when first year outfielder/infielder Liam Pond (Holyoke, Mass.) scored an unearned run to make the deficit 8-3. In the bottom of the seventh, senior catcher Blake Bastos (Mineola, N.Y.) recorded a one-run double to score Diaz, and immediately after that, Pond scored Bastos. The Blazers were not done, as senior outfielder Camron Watkins (East Haddam, Conn.) recorded a one-run single to drive in Pond. Even though Elms fought to get back in the game, their comeback bid fell short, as the Blazers lost 8-6 in Game 1 of the doubleheader.

Game 2
The Blazers took the lead quickly in Game 2, as in the top of the second inning, Diaz scored off of a bases loaded walk to graduate student infielder AJ Cook (Mendon, Mass.) to give Elms a quick 1-0. Graduate student pitcher Kyle Sebastyanski (Auburn, Mass.) would take the start for the Blazers, and would pitch five innings, with five strikeouts in three scoreless innings. Curry would answer in the bottom of the inning, but Elms would be able to take back their lead in the third. Diaz continued his electric play, recording a two-run double to score Prestia and Watkins to give the Blazers a 3-1 lead. However, the Colonels would put four runs on the board in the bottom of the inning to take a 5-3 lead, putting Elms in danger again. In the top of the fifth, Diaz would score off of another bases loaded walk to Cook, pulling the Blazers within one run. Junior pitcher Jaden Palumbo (Worcester, Mass.) would pitch in the sixth inning for Elms, throwing one strikeout, but Curry would add to their lead, scoring another run in the sixth. Then with the bases loaded in the top of the seventh, Elms would be unable to score and win the game, as the Blazers comeback bid failed short again.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Bastos: one for three, with a double, a run batted-in, and a run scored.

• Cook: four for four, with four stolen bases, three walks, and two runs batted-in.

• Diaz: four for seven, with three doubles, four runs batted-in, and three runs scored.

• Dougherty: would pitch two innings, with two strikeouts.

• Kreuzuer: 0 for six, with a run scored and a walk.

• Nohilly: would pitch three innings, with a strikeout.

• Palumbo: would pitch an inning, with a strikeout.

• Pond: two for three, with two runs scored, a run batted-in, and a walk.

• Prestia: three for nine, with a double and two runs scored.

• Rondon: would pitch two innings, with three strikeouts.

• Sebastyanski: would pitch five innings, with five strikeouts.

• Watkins: three for seven, with two stolen bases, two walks, and a run batted-in.

UP NEXT: The Elms Baseball team will continue to play in Davenport, Fla. for the 2025 RussMatt Invitational for a doubleheader against Penn State Brandywine on Tuesday, March 11th at 3:15 and 5:45 pm at Northeast Regional Park Field 1.

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