Baseball splits doubleheader with Maine-Presque-Isle
Auburndale, FL—The MCLA Baseball team split a doubleheader earlier today with Maine-Presque Isle in the RussMatt Invitational at Lake Myrtle Park in Auburndale, Florida. The Trailblazers took game one 9-4 but fell to the Owls in game two, 12-5. With the results MCLA is now 6-3 while Maine-Presque Isle moves to 1-7.
Game One MCLA 9 UMPI 4
MCLA would get things started in game one in the top of the 1st inning with a Randy Adams (1-for-2, 3 RBI's) sacrifice fly to drive in Austin Rachiele (4-for-4, 3 R) and a Noel Medina (2-for-5, 2 RBI's) single bringing Clarence Givhans (2-for-4, 2 R, RBI) home to give MCLA a 2-0 lead.
With the bases loaded in the 2nd Givhans was hit by a pitch and Adams walked, to push the Trailblazer lead to 4-0.
An RBI base hit by Medina, a 2-run double by Jayco Pena (3-for-5, 2 RBI's) and a sacrifice fly by Justin Hernandez (2-for-4, RBI) would stretch the Trailblazer lead to 8-0 after three and a half innings. But UMPI would respond with four runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning to stay within striking distance at 8-4.
A pair of doubles by Rachiele and Adams in the top of the 7th would give MCLA an insurance run that they would not end up needing as relievers Garrett Brunette and Vincent Scappaticcio prevented any threat from the Owls to develop, preserving the 9-4 win.
Trailblazer starting pitcher Brian Rosario (W, 3-0) allowed 4 earned runs on four hits, striking out 7 UMPI batters in five innings pitched. Owl starter Ian McCay (L, 0-1) allowed 7 earned runs on eleven hits in four innings pitched in the loss.
Game Two UMPI 12 MCLA 5
After giving up a run in the top of the 1st, MCLA would answer with two runs in the bottom half. Rachiele (2-for-5, RBI) would steal second after a lead off single and then be brought home thanks to a Givhans (1-for-3, RBI) triple to right. An Adams (2-for-4, RBI) single to center would make it 2-1 after one.
Though MCLA would add a run in each off the next two innings, the Owls would take advantage of several Trailblazer defensive mistakes on their way to scoring three runs in the top of the 2nd and four more in the top of the 3rd to establish a 7-4 lead.
UMPI would again be the beneficiaries of two more Trailblazer errors and a wild pitch in the top of the 6th enroute to scoring four more runs to swell their lead to 12-4.
MCLA would score one in the bottom of the 7th when a Hernandez (1-for-1, RBI) single drove in Medina (1-for-3) to make the final 12-5.
UMPI starter Dakota Morrow (W, 1-0) would pitch a five-run, nine-hit complete game to lead the Owls to their first victory of the season. Trailblazer starting pitcher Jason Palumbo (L, 0-2) would take the loss for MCLA though only allowing one earned run in his 2 1/3 innings pitched.
Both teams wrap up their Spring Break trips tomorrow as UMPI takes on SUNY Poly in a 9:15am/11:15am doubleheader and MCLA battles Dickinson College in a 2pm single game.