Parker has four RBI, but Baseball falls to NEC 12-7 in return to action
Rindge, NH- Stanley Vargas went 2-3 with four RBI and tossed the final 3.2 innings to get the save in leading the New England College baseball team to their seventh straight victory as they defeated the MCLA Trailblazers 11-7 this evening. The game was played on the campus of Franklin Pierce University. The Pilgrims even their record at 7-7 while the Trailblazers drop to 4-6. The game was the first for MCLA since March 17th.
MCLA opened up an early 3-0 over the Pilgrims through one and a half innings of play. In the first, the Trailblazers got RBI's from Joe Dimassimo and Myles Candelet for a 2-0 lead. They would add another in the third, this time on Logan Rumbolt's groundout for a 3-0 before the Pilgrims took advantage of some wildness from Trailblazer pitching.
NEC would score three times in the second inning off Brendan Kelly without registering a hit. They took advantage of three walks and a passed ball to tie the game at 3-3. MCLA took a brief lead in the top of the fourth on Jonathan Parker's bases loaded walk, but NEC would score three times in the bottom half to take a 6-4 lead. The key hit for the Pilgrims was Stanley Vargas' two run triple. The hit was the first of the game for the Pilgrims.
NEC would add three more runs in the fifth off Trailblazer reliever Frank Rickus to extend to a 9-4 advantage. MCLA would tally twice in the sixth on Parker's two run triple, but he was stranded at third keeping the score at 9-6 in favor of NEC. The Pilgrims would continue the offensive assault with a pair of runs in the sixth fueled by Vincent Backert's double and a sac fly for an 11-6 advantage.
MCLA got a run back in the eighth inning on Parker's infield single. It was his fourth run batted in of the night to close the deficit to 11-7. The Trailblazers would get two more in scoring position, but NEC induced a groundout to end the inning and preserve the lead. NEC would add an unearned run in the bottom half to complete the scoring.
Parker ended the day going 2-4 with four RBI's to pace the offense. Joe Toledo and Christian Seariac each had a pair of hits for MCLA. The Trailblazers used seven pitchers in the contest. Joe Murray took the loss for MCLA.
Selah Delomba earned the win for the Pilgrims tossing the first 5.1 innings. Vargas allowed just three hits and struck out five to earn the save.
The Trailblazers are back in action this weekend when they open MASCAC play against Salem State, weather permitting at a site still to be determined.