Baseball Splits Conference Doubleheader at Albertus Magnus College

HAMDEN, Conn. - The Elms College Baseball team traveled to Albertus Magnus College for a conference doubleheader on Saturday afternoon.

BASICS
Game 1
Score: Elms College 0 | Albertus Magnus College 5
Records: Blazers 11-20, 5-12 (GNAC) | Falcons 13-22, 6-13 (GNAC)

Game 2
Score: Elms College 15 | Albertus Magnus College 7
Records: Blazers 12-20, 6-12 (GNAC) | Falcons 13-23, 6-14 (GNAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED
Game 1
In the top of the first inning, first year outfielder Raynel Rodriguez (San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic) would hit a lead off single past the third baseman and would steal second base, but the Elms offense would not be able to score in the inning. Sophomore Sal Ortiz (Springfield, Mass.) would take the mound for the Blazers in the opening game, where in the bottom of the first, he would record a looking strikeout and first year catcher Eliam Martinez (Dominican Republic) would catch a runner stealing after first year infielder Colin Faber (Suffield, Conn.) would apply the tag. Unfortunately, Albertus would be able to score a run in the inning. In the bottom of the third inning, the Elms defense would record a double play, when a ground ball would be hit to junior infielder/pitcher Andrew Ciaglo (Haldey, Mass.), who would flip the ball to Faber tossing the ball to sophomore infielder/pitcher Brycen Diaz (Andrews, Texas) at first base. Both teams would hold each other scoreless in the next three innings, with senior outfielder/pitcher Nason Busca (Windsor, Conn.) hitting a single past the third baseman and Martinez would earn a walk, steal a base, and would advance to third base on a wild pitch, along with a walk to Ciaglo, but Elms would not be able to capitalize on the opportunity. Then in the bottom of the fifth inning, the Falcons would score four runs to extend their lead, 5-0. In the bottom of the sixth inning, senior pitcher Justin Saad (Waterford, Conn.) would relieve Ortiz. During the inning, the Blazers would keep their opponents from scoring in the inning and Saad would record a swinging strikeout. The Elms offense would look to create some late offensive momentum in the seventh inning, however, AMC would record the three outs to defeat the Blazers 5-0 in the first game.

Game 2
In the top of the first inning, Martinez would earn a walk and steal second base, but the Elms offense would not be able to score in the inning. B.Diaz would transition to the hill and take the ball for the Blazers in the second game of the afternoon, but the Falcons would be able to get on the board early, by scoring two runs in the bottom of the first. In the top half of the second inning, sophomore outfielder/infielder Liam Pond (Holyoke, Mass.) would be walked and Faber would hit a single to right field, but Elms would not be able to score in the inning. Luckily in the bottom of the second, B.Diaz would strikeout three-straight batters in order to end the inning and rejuvenate the Blazers' energy. In the third inning, Martinez would hit a single to left field and steal second base again, followed by another 1-2-3 inning by the Elms defense and a strikeout from B.Diaz. In the top of the fourth inning, Pond would earn a walk, followed by a single to center field by Faber, and Ciaglo would be hit by a pitch to load the base. Then Rodriguez would hit the ball to center field, which would be misfielded by the Albertus center fielder, where he would advance to third base to clear the bases, and the Blazers would take a brief 3-2 lead. In the bottom of the fourth inning, B.Diaz would add two more swinging strikeouts, but the Falcons would score two more runs to regain the lead. In the top of the fifth inning, senior outfielder Noah Scanlon-Dean (Hadley, Mass.) would earn a walk, he would then score moments later when junior infielder Manny Essley (Duxbury, Mass.) would hit a double to right field to tie the game. Then on the very next pitch, Pond would hit a single to center field to regain the lead as Essley would score. In the bottom half of the inning, B.Diaz would throw a second trio of strikeouts to end the inning. In the top of the sixth, Rodriguez would reach base on an error committed by the first baseman, then with a 2-2 count, Busca would hit a two-run home run to right field to extend the Elms lead, 7-4. In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Falcons would score two runs, but a double play from Essley, Pond, and Faber, and a looking strikeout by B.Diaz would keep the Blazers ahead of their conference foes. In the top of the seventh inning, the Elms offense would load the bases after Lond would hit a single to center field and back-to-back walks to Faber and Ciaglo. Then with the bases loaded and full-count, Rodriguez would be hit by a pitch and Busca would earn a walk to bring home two runs. Then moments later, Martinez would hit a two-run single down the left field line to drive in Ciaglo and Rodriguez, that would extend their lead 11-6. In the bottom half of the inning, B.Diaz would throw his eleventh strikeout before senior pitcher Colby Arnold (Waterford, Conn.) would relieve him on the mound to record the final out of the inning at home plate. In the top of the eighth inning, Scanlon-Dean would reach base on an error committed by the shortstop and would advance to second base on a wild pitch. Scanlon-Dean would score after Pond would hit a single past the third baseman. Moments later, Ciaglo would hit a single to left field that would drive in Pond to further extend the Blazers lead. Arnold would throw one strikeout in the bottom of the eighth inning and hold the AMC offense from scoring any runs in the inning. In the top of the ninth, the Elms offense would see B.Diaz hit a single past third base, with first year outfielder Anthony Osella (Manchester, Conn.) pinch running for him, followed by back-to-back walks to Scanlon-Dean and Essley to load the bases. Shortly thereafter, Pond would earn a walk to bring Osella across the plate, followed by Faber reaching base on a fielder's choice that would see Scanlon-Dean score. In the bottom of the ninth inning, sophomore catcher/pitcher Alex Baeta (Bellingham, Mass.) would take over on the hill for Arnold, the Falcons would score a run on a home run, but Baeta would end the inning with back-to-back swinging strikeouts to secure the 15-7 victory over Albertus Magnus to split the road conference doubleheader.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• B.Diaz: a hit at the plate, would pitch six and ⅔ innings with 11 strikeouts, and would participate in a double play in the field.

• Pond: three hits, three runs scored, three runs batted-in, and three walks at the plate, and would participate in a double play in the field.

• Faber: two hits, two runs scored, a run batted-in, and a walk at the plate, would participate in two double plays in the field.

• Rodriguez: a hit, two runs scored, a run batted-in, a walk, and a stolen base.

• Essley: a hit, with a double, a run scored, a run batted-in, and a walk at the plate, and would participate in a double play in the field.

• Martinez: two hits, two runs batted-in, three walks, and three stolen bases.

• Busca: two hits, with a home run, a run scored, three runs batted-in, a walk

• Ciaglo: a hit, two runs scored, a run batted-in, and two walks at the plate, and would participate in a double play in the field.

• Osella: a run scored.

• Scanlon-Dean: three runs scored and two walks.

• Ortiz: would pitch five innings, with a strikeout.

• Arnold: would pitch one and ⅓ innings, with a strikeout.

• Baeta: would pitch an inning, with two strikeouts.

• Saad: would pitch an inning, with a strikeout.

UP NEXT: The Elms Baseball team will return to Mackenzie Stadium for their final conference doubleheader at Rivier University on Sunday, April 26th at 12 & 3 pm.

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