Baseball Swept By Springfield in Hard Fought Doubleheader

SPRINGFIELD, MA - The Blazers took on the nearby Springfield College Pride in a non-conference doubleheader on Sunday afternoon.

BASICS
Game 1
Score: Elms College 5 | Springfield College 8
Record: Blazers 8-6, 0-0 (GNAC) | Pride 7-6, 0-0 (NEWMAC)

Game 2
Score: Elms College 3 | Springfield College 4
Record: Blazers 8-7, 0-0 (GNAC) | Prides 8-6, 0-0 (NEWMAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED
Game 1
Elms got on the board first in a big way in the top of the first inning when senior Seamus Higgins (Rutland, MA) recorded a three run-double to put the Blazers up 3-0 early. Elms senior pitcher Kyle Sebastyanksi (Auburn, MA) shut down Springfield in the bottom half of the inning, and in the top half of the second recording two strikeouts. Graduate student Tyler Galenski (Wilbraham, MA) recorded a fielder's choice, driving in first year Griffin Levesque (Agawam, MA) for a commanding 4-0 lead. In the bottom of the inning, the Pride were more aggressive, loading the bases with only one out, Springfield would take advantage of this, and a Pride grand slam tied the game at 4-4 early. Elms was not deterred, and senior CJ Moriarty (Glstonbury, CT) drove in Higgins in the top of the third inning to put the Blazers back up 5-4. The lead would not last for long, as Springfield answered right back in the bottom of the inning with an RBI-double to tie the game at 5. The Pride would drive in two more runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to take the lead, and followed that up with an RBI-double in the bottom of the sixth. After their hot start, the Blazers bats went cold, as Elms struggled to get on base against the Springfield defense. This resulted in the Pride taking Game One of the doubleheader 8-5.

Game 2
Springfield would start the second game off up early, as an RBI-double put the Pride up 2-0 in the bottom of the second inning. The Pride did a great job limiting Elms' batters early, as the Blazers were not able to get on base and chip into the lead. Springfield added to their lead in the bottom of the fourth with an RBI-single, putting them up 3-0. Elms continued to stay in the game thanks to the pitching of junior Henry Rondon (Ansonia, CT), who pitched spectacularly after allowing those runs. Rondon would pitch eight innings, striking out four batters, and was a huge reason why Elms stayed in the game. The Blazers got the breakthrough they were looking for in the top of the sixth inning when junior George Chaya Jr. (Methuen, MA) recorded an RBI-double, and Levesque reached on a fielder's choice, and two Blazers scored to tie the game at 3. After that, both teams could not break through, and the game extended to the ninth inning. In the bottom of the ninth, senior Camden Murphy (Berlin, CT) relieved Rondon, and the Pride took advantage of the new Elms pitcher by loading the bases with 0 outs. With no pressure on them, the Pride recorded the walk off single, driving in the winning run, and sending the Blazers home winless on a Sunday afternoon

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Sebastyanski - 5.0 innings pitched, five strikeouts, and seven earned runs.

• Rondon - 8.0 innings pitched, four strikeouts, and three earned runs.

UP NEXT: The Blazers will be traveling to nearby Westfield State University on Tuesday, March 19 at 3:30 P.M.

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