Baseball comeback falls just short at Elms
CHICOPEE, Mass.— Down 7-0 after 4 innings the MCLA Baseball team drew to within one run twice but fell just short losing 8-7 to Elms College in nonconference action tonight at Makenzie Stadium.
The Blazers needed only three hits taking advantage of four walks, a passed ball, a wild pitch and a hit batsman to score six runs in the bottom of the 2nd and would add another in the 4th to take a 7-0 lead.
MCLA would get one back in the top of the 5th when Austin Rachiele (4-for-5, 3 RBIs) singled home William Walsh to make it 7-1.
After Walsh scored again, this time thanks to a Blazer error, another RBI single from Rachiele and an RBI double from Clarence Givhans would make it 7-4 and would cause a pitching change with one out in the top of the 7th. Randy Adams (2-for-5, 2RBIs) would greet the new reliever with a 2-RBI base hit to bring the Trailblazers within one headed to the home half.
Elms would score what proved to be a necessary run in the bottom of the 7th to to stretch the lead to two as Rachiele would double in Josh Bologh in the top of the 8th to cut the margin to one again at 8-7.
Noel Medina would get hit by a pitch and Ty Mazzeo (2-for-4) would single to to represent the go ahead run in the top of the 9th but a game ending double play would secure the win for the Blazers.
Aaron Young (3-for-4, RBI) and Tyler Galenski (2-for-4, 2 RBIs) along with George Chaya Jr. (2-for-4, RBI) and AJ Cook (2-for-5, RBI) led Elms at the plate.
Blazer staring pitcher Austin Roy (W, 2-0) allowed 4 earned runs on nine hits in 6.1 innings of work. Trailblazer reliever Garrett Brunette (L, 0-1) was charged with the loss.
Both teams are on the road on Thursday at 3:30pm. Elms will travel to Coast Guard while MCLA is slated to begin a 3-game series at MASCAC foe Worcester State.