Trailblazers Lose Close Games Versus Mass. Maritime

North Adams, MA - The MCLA Trailblazers got swept in a critical double header by the Buccaneers of Mass. Maritime today at the Joe Zavattaro complex. 

Maritime starters Kevin Kwedor and Daniel Avery kept the MCLA bats at bay most of the afternoon as Maritime won game one 5-3 and game two by a 3-1 margin.

In game one MCLA jumped out 1-0 in the bottom of the first on an RBI single by Rory Slattery. Both teams exchanged runs in the second before Maritime surged ahead for good in the top of third. Bobby Rosano led off with a single to center and one out later scored from second on a Jonah Olsen base hit to left. Maritime would load the bases with one out and a chance for a big inning, but MCLA starter Robert Jutras would limit the damage as only Olsen would score on a fielders' choice off the bat of Jake Petruzzelli.

Maritime would take a 5-2 lead to the bottom of the seventh. MCLA would threaten off reliever Kyle Kennedy. Chase Preite doubled with a runner on first, putting the tying run at the plate with one out. Slattery grounded out to first scoring a run, but Tyler Benoit popped up to Rosano at short to end the game. Kwedor moved to 5-2 on the season with the win, Kennedy pitched two innings for his third save of the year. Jutras fell to 1-4 on the season.

Preite had three hits in game one for the Trailblazers. Olsen scored a pair of runs to go along with his RBI single.

Game two was a pitchers' duel as the game remained scoreless until the top of the fifth. Maritime played small ball after a Rosano lead-off single, he was sacraficed to second. Logan Sullo was intentionally walked and Rosano advanced to third one batter later on fly ball to right. Sullo would take advantage of the first and third situation and steal second. Everett Walsh would then deliver the two-out single to left scoring two.

MCLA would cut the lead in half in the bottom of the sixth off Avery, but ran into an out in the process. Mike Sullivan was on second with one out when Preite singled sharply to left, Sullivan was going to be held at third was waved in when Connor Kennedy bobbled the ball in left-field. Preite got caught between first and second on the relay back in and after a rundown was eventually tagged out by Rosano. Slattery would end the inning on a groundout.

Maritime would add a run in the seventh and Zac Cooney came on to close it out in the seventh.

Avery picked up his first win of the season and Cooney earned his fifth save of the season. Ryan Grande was the tough luck loser, dropping his record to 1-3.

Priete and Sullivan both had a pair of hits in the second game. Sullo had two hits for the Buccaneers and Walsh had all three RBI's.

Mass Maritime will host Framingham State Monday at 12:00 PM, while MCLA travels to Bridgewater State on Monday for a Patriots Day double header starting at 1:00 PM.