Baseball Sweeps Nittany Lions in Florida

DAVENPORT, Fla. - The Elms College Baseball team traveled to Davenport, Fla. to compete against Penn State Brandywine in a non-conference doubleheader on Tuesday in the 2025 RussMatt Invitational.

BASICS
Game 1
Score: Elms College 14 | Penn State Brandywine 2
Records: Blazers 3-3, 0-0 (GNAC) | Nittany Lions 2-8, 0-0 (UEC)

Game 2
Score: Elms College 13 | Penn State Brandywine 11
Records: Blazers 4-3, 0-0 (GNAC) | Nittany Lions 2-9, 0-0 (UEC)

HOW IT HAPPENED

Game 1
Elms started off the game strong, as the Blazers put four runs up during the first inning. The Blazers got the scoring started when senior outfielder Camron Watkins (East Haddam, Conn.) drove in graduate student infielder AJ Cook (Mendon, Mass.) off of a one-run double. Watkins would score off of a wild pitch and first year infielder/pitcher Brycen Diaz (Andrews, Texas) would also score off of a throwing error, giving Elms an early 3-0 lead. The Blazers scored their last run of the inning off of freshman catcher Alex Baeta's (Bellingham, Mass.) a one-run single. The second inning brought more runs for the Blazers, as sophomore infielder Jacob Perez (Manchester, Conn.) and senior outfielder George Chaya Jr. (Methuen, Mass.) both scored on wild throwing errors. The Blazers received a significant boost from their pitching staff, as junior Justin Saad (Waterford, Conn.) shut down the opposing batters to preserve the big Elms lead. In the top of the third, Cook would record a two-run double, scoring both Baeta and junior pitcher/outfielder Nason Busca (Windsor, Conn.) to extend the Elms lead out to 8-0. Saad continued to limit Penn St. Brandywine in the ensuing half inning, and the Blazers continued the onslaught in the fourth and fifth innings. In the fourth inning, Baeta would record a one-run single to score Diaz. Brandywine would score another Elms batter off a hit by pitch, and junior infielder Chase Prestia (Newington, Conn.) would score. Cook would join the party and drive in sophomore pitcher/utility player Andrew Ciaglo (Hadley, Mass.) which led to Watkins driving in Perez in the ensuing bat. In the fifth, Cook would strike again for the Blazers and drive in Baeta, and George Chay Jr. recorded a one-run single to drive in Busca. Pitcher/infielder Luke Guyer (East Granby, Conn.) would come in to record the save for the Blazers to give them a resounding 14-2 win in Game 1.

Game 2
The Blazers quickly picked up where they left off in Game 2 after Watkins drove in Cook off of a double. Diaz would record a sacrifice fly to score Chaya Jr. and Prestia would also record a sacrifice fly, scoring Watkins. The Blazers were not done with their onslaught, as Baeta would record a one-run single to drive in junior pitcher Jaden Palumbo (Worcester, Mass.) First year outfielder/infielder Liam Pond (Holyoke, Mass.) would record a two-run triple to end the scoring, scoring Ciaglo and Baeta. Brandywine would finally have an answer for Elms during the bottom of the inning, scoring a couple of runs to cut the lead in half, but in the top of the second, the Blazers answered once again. Prestia would record a two-run single to score both Watkins and Chaya Jr. to give the Blazers an 8-3 lead. The Nittany Lions would put three more runs on the board in the ensuing half inning, but Elms once again had an answer. In the bottom of the third, Watkins recorded a one-run single to drive in Chaya Jr., and Watkins scored on another wild throw to give Elms some more insurance. In the bottom fourth inning, Pond would score off of a wild throw, giving the Blazers a 11-6 lead. Brandywine had a big ensuing half inning, scoring a plethora of runs to cut into the deficit. Barely hanging onto an 11-9 lead, the Blazers would respond in the bottom of the sixth when sophomore pitcher and infielder Jayden Maynard (Enfield, Conn.) would record a two-run single to score both Prestia and Chaya Jr. yet again. Freshman pitcher Sal Ortiz (Springfield, Mass.) would keep the Nittany Lions at bay, limiting them to two runs in the last half inning to record the save and give Elms the doubleheader sweep for the day.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Baeta: four for eight, three runs scored, three runs batted-in, and a walk.

• Busca: two for five, with two runs scored.

• Chaya Jr.: two for seven, with five runs scored, five stolen bases, four walks, and a run batted-in.

• Ciaglo: two for six, with two runs scored and two walks.

• Cook: four for 10, with a double, three stolen bases, four runs batted-in, and two runs scored.

• Diaz: would earn the win in Game 1, pitching four innings with six strikeouts, and would also go one for six, with two runs scored and two runs batted-in.

• Guyer: would earn the save in Game 1, pitching three innings with four strikeouts.

• Maynard: two for five, with a double, two runs batted-in, and a run scored.

• Ortiz: would earn the save in Game 2, pitching three innings.

• J. Perez: three for four, with two runs scored and a run batted-in.

• Pond: one for four, with a triple, with two runs batted-in, two stolen bases, and a run scored.

• Prestia: one for six, with three runs scored, three runs batted-in, three walks, and a stolen base.

• Saad: would earn the win in Game 2, pitching four innings with four strikeouts.

• Watkins: four for nine, with two doubles, four runs scored, four runs batted-in, a walk, and a stolen base.

UP NEXT: The Elms Baseball team will continue to play in Davenport, Fla. for the 2025 RussMatt Invitational for a doubleheader against Suffolk University on Thursday, March 13th at 1 & 4 pm at Northeast Regional Park Field 3.

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