Baseball takes a pair from Yeshiva earning opening day sweep
West Harrison, NY—The MCLA baseball team kicked off the 2023 season in style scoring 21 runs and pitching a pair of shutouts enroute to an opening day sweep over Yeshiva University today at Silver Lake Park. The Trailblazers rolled past the Macabees in game one 11-0 before taking game two by a score of 10-0.
Game One: MCLA 11 Yeshiva 0
MCLA would strike in the top of the first inning scoring a pair of two-out runs as a Jayco Pena (3-for-5) single and a Noel Medina (4-for-5) double would drive in a pair to give the Trailblazers an early 2-0 lead.
A Randy Adams (2-for-5) three-run homer in the fourth inning and two-run double in the fifth would blow the game open giving the Trailblazers an 8-0 advantage.
MCLA would add three more on RBI's by Austin Rachiele (2-for-4), Clarence Givhans (2-for-3) and Josh Bologh to round out the scoring and give MCLA the 11-0 victory.
Brian Rosario (W, 1-0) earned the win for MCLA pitching three perfect innings, striking out five. Aidan Brett (2 IP, 3 K's), Garrett Brunette (1 IP, 1 K) and Givhans (1 IP, 3 K's) all combined for the shutout.
Yeshiva hurler Adam Zahler (L, 0-1) faced 20 batters allowing four earned runs on 5 hits and 6 walks.
Game Two: MCLA 10 Yeshiva 0
The Trailblazers would jump out on top again as a sacrifice fly by Adams (1-for-1, 1 RBI) in the first and aggressive base running by Rachlele (2 R, 1 RBI) in the second would result in an early 2-0 lead for the visitors.
A leadoff double by Givhans (2-for-3) would spark a seven-run 5th capped off by a 3-run double to left-center by Rafael Castillo (1-for-2, 3 RBI's) to stretch the MCLA lead to 9-0.
The Trailblazers added one more run in the 6th as Brady Hamel scored on a Justin Hernandez (1-for-3, 1 RBI) single to make the final score 10-0.
Rob Correia (W, 1-0) scattered 3 hits and stuck-out three in 3 innings pitched to earn his first win of the season. Jaden Palumbo (2 IP, 2K's), Nate Morse (1 IP, 1 K) and James Sneyd (1 IP, 2 K's) combined for the shutout.
Yeshiva starter Jacob Shakin (L, 0-2) pitched four innings striking out four batters, allowing 2 hits, three walks and two earned runs in the loss.
MCLA won't take the diamond again until March 10th as they travel to Central Florida for an eight game slate in the RussMatt Invitational.