Suffolk Takes Both Games from Baseball

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

BASICS
Game 1
Score: Elms College 2 | Suffolk University 8
Records: Blazers 4-4, 0-0 (GNAC) | Rams 3-8, 0-0 (CNE)

Game 2
Score: Elms College 5 | Suffolk University 6
Records: Blazers 4-5, 0-0 (GNAC) | Rams 4-8, 0-0 (CNE)

HOW IT HAPPENED

Game 1
Game 1 was quiet early on, as junior pitcher Colby Arnold (Waterford, Conn.) held Suffolk scoreless for the first four innings with a combination of slick pitches and a good Elms defense behind him. The Blazers took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning when first year infielder/pitcher Brycen Diaz (Andrews, Texas) scored senior outfielder Camron Watkins (East Haddam, Conn.) off of a one-run single. In the fifth inning, both Arnold and the Elms defense struggled, as the Rams scored eight unanswered runs to go up 8-1 and deal a striking blow to the Blazers chances of winning. In the sixth inning, Watkins batted in graduate student infielder AJ Cook (Mendon, Mass.), but this was the only run for the Blazers in the inning. In the bottom of the sixth, junior pitcher/outfielder Nason Busca (Windsor, Conn.) would come in to pitch one scoreless inning, limiting Suffolk to an 8-2 win over Elms.

Game 2
The Blazers continued to struggle at the beginning of Game 2, as Suffolk scored three quick runs in the first inning to take a 3-0 lead. However, Elms would have an answer in the second inning. Sophomore infielder Jacob Perez (Manchester, Conn.) would record a one-run double to drive in freshman catcher Alex Baeta (Bellingham, Mass.), which led to Cook recording a one-run single to score Perez and get Elms back in the game. The Blazers found themselves down 5-2, but cut into the Suffolk lead when Baeta hit a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth to give the Blazers momentum. Sophomore pitcher Ryan Ziegler (Uncasville, Conn.) shut down the Rams in the next half inning, and in the bottom of the fifth, Elms tied the game. Perez was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to score senior catcher Nick Kreuzuer (Suffield, Conn.), and then  sophomore pitcher/infielder Jayden Maynard (Enfield, Conn.) drove in sophomore pitcher/utility player Andrew Ciaglo (Hadley, Mass.) off of a fielder's choice to tie the game. Senior pitcher Devin Kazarian (Westerly, R.I.) came on in relief for the Blazers and pitched a strong fifth inning, but in the sixth, Suffolk broke through and scored the go-ahead run to go up 6-5. Elms was unable to mount any momentum to tie or take the lead, resulting in another tough loss.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Arnold: would pitch four and ⅓ innings, with two strikeouts.

• Baeta: three for three, with a home run, a run scored, and a run batted-in.

• Busca: would pitch one inning.

• Chaya Jr.: three for seven, with a stolen base.

• Ciaglo: three for six, with a double, a run scored, a walk, and a stolen base.

• Cook: three for six, with two stolen bases, a run scored, a run batted-in, and a walk.

• Diaz: one for seven, with a run batted-in.

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

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

• Maynard: would pitch ⅔ innings, and 0 for four at the plate, with a run batted-in.

• J.Perez: two for three, with a double, two runs batted-in, and a run scored.

• Prestia: one for five, with three runs batted-in, two walks, a run scored, and a stolen base.

• Watkins: two for six, with a triple, a double, a run scored, and a run batted-in.

• Ziegler: would pitch five innings, with a strikeout.

UP NEXT: The Elms Baseball team will wrap up play in Davenport, Fla. for the 2025 RussMatt Invitational for a doubleheader against St. Norbert College on Saturday, March 15th at 9:30 am & 12 pm at Northeast Regional Park Field 3.

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