MCLA gets back on track with sweep of Elms College, 6-0 and 6-3

The MCLA baseball team picked up a pair of much needed wins as they swept Elms College this afternoon by scores of 6-0 and 6-3.

In the top of the opening frame of game one MCLA crossed the dish five times, as Paul Procopio (Pittsfield, Mass.), Osiris Mendez (Queens, N.Y.), Bobby Beauchesne (Lowell, Mass.) and Ken Recore (Averill Park, N.Y.) each drove in runs in the inning.

The Trailblazers added a run in the top of the sixth when Tim Burns (Pittsfield, Mass.) led off with a triple and then came full circle when John Ripepi (Amsterdam, N.Y.) lifted a sacrifice fly to center field, giving MCLA a 6-0 lead.

James Greeley (Auburndale, Mass.) limited Elms to just four hits in a seven-inning complete-game effort to secure his first win of the season on the hill (1-1).

Elms right-hander Matt Wood (Feeding Hills, Mass.) suffered his first loss of the season to move to 2-1. The junior struck out four and allowed three earned runs in six innings of work.

Sophomore second baseman Nicolino Iavicoli (Hampden, Mass.) and junior catcher Carm Bonavita (Springfield, Mass.) each doubled in the loss for the Blazers.

Rick Massey (Cheshire, Mass.), Mendez, Recore and Burns each added two hits for MCLA.

In the second game of the twinbill, Elms took a 3-1 lead into the fifth inning before MCLA plated four runs to take a 5-3 lead. Ripepi singled to lead off the stanza before Eddie George (Falls Church, Va.) ripped a one-out RBI single to score the runner from first. After a base hit by Mendez, both runners executed a double steal and George came home on a fielding miscue by the Blazers. The Trailblazers scored twice more in the inning before sophomore pitcher Andrew Bunger (Southington, Conn.) came on in relief to get the final two outs.

MCLA added a run in the top of the sixth and kept Elms off the board to seal the sweep.

Trailblazers’ starter Sean Hermance (Elizaville, N.Y.) pitched 5.2 innings on the hill, fanning four batters and scattering four hits en route to his second win of the season to improve to 2-1. Andrew Kelly (Dalton, Mass.) pitched the final inning and a third to pick up his first save of the season.

Elms right-hander Mike Bieber (Wading River, N.Y.) suffered the loss and moves to 0-2 on the season. The senior tossed five strikeouts in 4.1 frames in the losing effort.

Elms plated two runs in the first on the strength of an Iavicoli RBI groundout with runners on second and third, and a sacrifice fly by senior first baseman Mike Andrews (Greenfield, Mass.). The Blazers added a run in bottom of the second when junior shortstop Brendan Cordeiro (Berkley, Mass.) drew a two-out bases loaded walk.

Cordeiro finished with three free passes in the game.

MCLA was powered by George’s 3 for 5 performance at the dish, highlighted by a pair of doubles, a pair of RBI and two runs scored.

Elms returns to non-conference action on Sunday, March 28 when it travels to Westfield State College for a 3:30 p.m. game. MCLA will play another doubleheader tomorrow starting at 1:00 vs. Lyndon State College.