Brett earns first win with solid performance against Chargers as Baseball splits twinbill
Davenport, FL— After a morning filled with uncertainty as storms battered the Davenport area, the MCLA Baseball team got in their scheduled doubleheader with Colby Sawyer at Northeast Sports Park. In the opener, MCLA received a solid performance off the mound from first year hurler Aidan Brett to earn a 5-4 comeback win in game one. The Chargers took game two by a score of 10-3.
MCLA is now 2-5 overall while the Chargers earned their first win and sit at 1-2 on the season.
Game One: MCLA 5, Colby Sawyer 4
In the opener, MCLA trailed early before rallying past the Chargers. Colby Sawyer scored three times in the top of the first against Trailblazer starter Aidan Brett. The key blow was a two RBI double from Bailey Camacho to give Colby Sawyer an early 3-0 lead.
MCLA tallied single runs in the first and second innings to claw back within a run. Sam Larabee drew a walk to force in a run and when Isaiah Mack grounded out it was 3-2 in favor of the Chargers.
Colby Sawyer scored an unearned run in the third to increase the lead to 4-2 before MCLA rallied yet again. In the fourth inning, the Trailblazers struck for three runs to grab the lead. Rachiele singled home Bobby Lane while Robinson Guerrero-Baez came around on a Charger error. Mack then ripped a double to left to bring around Rachiele and MCLA led 5-4.
From there the story was MCLA starter Brett and closer James Sneyd. After the rough start, Brett settled down and tossed 5.1 innings. He struck out six Chargers and allowed just three hits to earn his first collegiate win. Sneyd came out of the bullpen to earn the save. He went the final 1.2 innings and didn't allow a hit.
Colby Sawyer's Josh Finkle absorbed the loss in relief of starter Kaelen Close.
Game Two: MCLA 3, Colby Sawyer 10
In the nightcap, Colby Sawyer started fast once again. They jumped out to a 4-0 lead after four innings of play. The Chargers opened the scoring with a three run third as Tommy Sasso tripled home Griffen Wheeler for an early 1-0 lead. A pair of MCLA miscues brought home two more runs for the Chargers and they led 4-0.
MCLA would get a couple of runs back when Robinson Guerrero-Baez doubled home Patrick Sheehan and Matthew Belfance. They would strand Baez however and the game remained 4-2 in favor of Colby Sawyer.
The Chargers extended the lead in the home fifth on Ben Mensch's sacrifice fly that scored Jake Choiniere who had doubled to start the inning. Jack Materese would follow with a double of his own to score Cooper O'Brien and the Chargers led 6-2. They would add two more runs later in the frame to seize control.
Colby Sawyer would put the game out of reach by tacking on two more runs in the sixth against the MCLA bullpen.
Jack Mullen earned the win for the Chargers going the first 5 innings. He allowed just two hits and struck out five Trailblazers.
MCLA's Robert Correia started and went 4.1 innings. He allowed 5 hits and 6 runs, however only two were earned.