Baseball drops 16-4 decision in home opening loss to Southern Vermont

North Adams, MA- The visiting Southern Vermont baseball team rapped out 15 hits and score nine runs in the first two innings as they cruised past MCLA 16-4 in the home opener played at Joe Wolfe Field this afternoon.  With the win, the Mountaineers are now 7-11 while the Trailblazers sit at 3-9.

RJ Pingatore led the offense with 3 hits, 4 runs scored, and he had 2 RBI.  RJ Henle threw well out of the Mountaineer bullpen tossing 5 innings and allowing just 2 earned runs to pick up the win.

The Mountaineers wasted little time getting the offense going off Trailblazer starter Brendan Kelly.  Zack Stacey walked to begin the game and after a fielders choice by Niko D'Agnese, Stacey was erased.  He promptly stole second base and came around to score when Pingatore singled.  Pingatore then stole second and scored on John Arancio's RBI knock making it 2-0.  A fielders choice and a walk loaded the bases for Rob Spatafore who quickly emptied them with a double to right field and SVC led 5-0.

MCLA went quietly in the bottom half of the inning and SVC would tack on four more runs off MCLA reliever Slayter Aubin making it 9-0.  The Trailblazers would get a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning when Nate Gutmann singled driving in a run and Ryan Shook had a RBI groundout making it 9-2 after two complete.

The Mountaineers would effectively put the game away with three more runs in the fifth and one in the sixth as they pulled away.  Pingatore had another RBI single, while D'Agnese also drove in a run.  Joe Braim also had an RBI double in the fifth.

MCLA would tack on single runs off Henle in the fifth and sixth innings as Gutmann had a sac fly and Joe Dimassimo would hit another sac fly in the sixth but the Trailblazers could get no closer.

Aside from Pingatore's big day, SVC's D'Agnese, Braim, Arancio, Dan Mason, and Spatafore all had two hits.  Spatafore drove in three runs, while Braim, Arancio, and Anthony Mercuri all had 2 RBI in the win.  The Mountaineers were also stout defensively as they played error free ball.

Gutmann had a pair of hits and RBI for MCLA in the loss.  Dimassimo and Nate Alibozek also had two hits for MCLA.  Kelly was tagged with the loss in his one inning of work.

The Trailblazers are back in action on Saturday when they begin MASCAC play at Salem State at 1pm.