Baseball Sweeps Colby-Sawyer and Dean to Advance to Pod A FInals

NEW LONDON, Conn. - The Elms College Baseball team faced off against No. 5 Colby-Sawyer College and No. 4 Dean College for the second day of Pod Play of the 2026 GNAC Baseball Tournament at Mitchell College on Saturday.

BASICS
Game 1
Score: No. 8 Elms College 10 | No. 5 Colby-Sawyer College 7
Records: Blazers 14-22, 7-13 (GNAC) | Chargers 18-21, 11-9 (GNAC)

Game 2
Score: No. 8 Elms College 11 | No. 4 Dean College 4
Records: Blazers 15-22, 7-13 (GNAC) | Bulldogs 21-16, 11-9 (GNAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED
Game 1
In the top of the first inning, the Elms offense would see first year outfielder Raynel Rodriguez (San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic) be hit a pitch, followed by senior outfielder/pitcher Nason Busca (Windsor, Conn.) reach on a fielder's choice and a single to left field by sophomore pitcher/infielder Brycen Diaz (Andrews, Texas). Then with a runner on first and second base, sophomore outfielder/infielder Liam Pond (Holyoke, Mass.) would hit a single to right center field to drive in Busca, followed by a two-run double to left center field by senior outfielder Noah Scanlon-Dean (Hadley, Mass.) to give the Blazers an early 3-0 lead. B.Diaz would start the day on the pitcher's mound for Elms. The Blazers defense would hold Colby-Sawyer scoreless in the first two innings, with B.Diaz striking out two batters. In the top of the third inning, Busca would hit a lead off single past the shortstop, followed by a walk to first year catcher Eliam Martinez (Dominican Republic). Both runners would advance on a wild pitch. Then with two runners in scoring position, B.Diaz would hit a pop up to the shortstop, but Busca would score on the play to extend the Elms lead. Moments later, Pond would drive in Martinez with a single to left field to bring the lead to 5-0. The Blazers would continue to hold the Chargers scoreless, while adding singles from Rodriguez and Busca in the fourth inning, along with a stolen base by Rodriguez. Then in the bottom half of the inning, B.Diaz would strikeout the first two batters he faced, but Colby-Sawyer would score two runs in the inning. In the top of the fifth inning, Martinez would hit a single up the middle, a double down the left field line from B.Diaz, and a hit by pitch to Pond to load the bases. Scanlon-Dean would reach base on a fielder's choice, but the Elms offense would not be able to score in the inning. The two conference foes would continue to battle, holding each other scoreless, but in the bottom of the sixth inning the Chargers would score two more runs to bring the game to 5-4. Luckily B.Diaz would end the inning with a swinging strikeout to get out of the jam. In the top of the seventh, B.Diaz would earn a walk, but the Colby-Sawyer defense would continue to keep the Blazers from scoring. In the bottom of the seventh inning, senior pitcher Colby Arnold (Waterford, Conn.) would relieve B.Diaz on the hill, but the Chargers would score three runs to take the lead from Elms. First year infielder Colin Faber (Suffield, Conn.) and junior infielder/pitcher Andrew Ciaglo (Hadley, Mass.) would start the eighth inning with back-to-back hit by pitches, followed by Rodriguez reaching base on a fielder's choice. Then with runners on the corners, Busca would hit a single to right center field to drive in Faber and Rodriguez would score on a wild pitch to tie the game 7-7. Arnold would start the bottom half of the eighth with a swinging strikeout. Then with the bases loaded, Arnold would strike out the batter looking. In the top of the ninth, B.Diaz would lead off by being hit by a pitch, followed by a single to left field. First year outfielder Anthony Osella (Manchester, Conn.) would pinch run for B.Diaz at second base. Then with runners on first and second base, Scanlon-Dean hit a bunt towards first base, where he would reach second base on a throwing error, committed by the first baseman, and Osella would score on the play to regain the lead, 8-7. Junior infielder Manny Essley (Duxbury, Mass.) would reach on a fielder's choice as he would hit a bunt back to the pitcher, but Pond would be out at home plate. Ciaglo would earn a walk to load the bases, Rodriguez would hit the ball to second base, but the second baseman could not field the ball cleanly, and Scanlon-Dean and Essley would both score on the play, to bring the score to 10-7. In the bottom of the ninth inning, with the bases loaded, a fly ball would be hit to center field and Rodriguez would make the catch to win the game for the Blazers 10-7 to advance to the third game of the day. This would be the first playoff victory for Elms since May 6, 2023, when the Blazers defeated Lasell University 10-6 at Johnson & Wales University to advance to Game Seven of the Tournament.

Game 2
Sophomore pitcher/outfielder Sal Ortiz (Springfield, Mass.) would take the ball for the Blazers against Dean. In the top of the first inning, with two outs and two runners on base, Ortiz would strikeout the final batter looking to end the inning. In the bottom of the first, Rodriguez would reach base when he would be hit by a pitch, followed by a walk to Busca and a single through the left side by Martinez to load the bases. Then with a 3-1 count, B.Diaz would earn a walk and Rodriguez would score the first run of the game. Pond would reach base on a fielder's choice to keep the bases loaded, then Faber would hit a two-run double down the right field line, driving in Martinez and B.Diaz. First year infielder Aidan Daugherty (Southwick, Mass.) would earn a walk to reload the bases, Ciaglo would hit a single to the second baseman that would drive in Pond for the fourth run of the inning. Then Rodriguez would be hit by another pitch to drive in Faber, followed by a second walk to Busca that would bring Daugherty across the plate to give Elms an early 6-0 lead. In the top of the second inning, with runners on the corners, a ground ball would be hit to Daugherty, the runner at third would try to score, Daugherty would throw the ball to Matrinez, and Ortiz would make the tag to end the rundown, to keep the Bulldogs scoreless. In the bottom of the second, B.Diaz would lead off with a double to left center field, followed by a single up the middle by Scanlon-Dean, but the Blazers would not be able to score in the inning. In the top of the third inning, Ortiz would strikeout a batter swinging, Dean would score a run, but the Elms defense would record the final out of the inning in another run down. Ciaglo would hit a double to left center field, followed by a bunt single by Rodgriguez and Ciaglo would advance to third base. Then with runners on the corners, Busca would lay down a bunt for a single and would drive in Ciaglo for a run. Moments later, Martinez would hit a one-run single to left field and would drive in Rodriguez to bring the score to 8-1. In the top of the fourth inning, the Bulldogs would add a run, but the Blazers defense would be able to record the three outs to end the inning. In the bottom half of the inning, Scanlon-Dean would hit a lead off single to right field, Faber would be walked, and Daugherty would reach base on a fielder's choice. Then with runners on the corners, Ciaglo would lay down a sacrifice bunt to drive in Scanlon-Dean to extend their lead to 9-2. In the top of the fifth inning, the lead off batter would hit a ball deep to left center field and Scanlon-Dean would make a diving grab at the warning track for the out. The Dean offense would try to capitalize with two runners on base, but the Elms defense would keep their opposition from scoring in the inning. In the bottom of the fifth, Martinez would earn a walk, followed by a single through the left side by Pond, but the Blazers would not be able to score in the inning. In the top of the sixth inning, the Bulldogs offense would see a runner on base, but Ortiz would strikeout the final batter swinging. In the bottom half of the inning, Faber would lead off by reaching base on an error committed by the second baseman, followed by a single to third base by Daugherty and Faber would advance to third. Then with base runners on the corners, Ciaglo would bunt a single to drive in Faber for their tenth run of the game. Rodrigez would hit a single through the right side to load the bases, then Martinez would reach base on a fielder's choice that would drive in Daugherty for another run. Martinez would steal second base, but the Dean defense would record the last out of the inning, as Elms would extend their lead to 11-2. In the top of the seventh inning, senior pitcher Justin Saad (Waterford, Conn.) would relieve Ortiz on the mound. In the inning, the Bulldogs would score a third run, but Saad would record a swinging strikeout and the Elms defense would keep their lead intact. In the bottom half of the inning, Pond would beat a throw to first for a single, followed by Scanlon-Dean reaching base on a fielder's choice. Moments later, Scanlon-Dean would steal second base, Faber would rip a single through the right side to put the base runners on the corners. Faber would steal a base, unfortunately the Blazers offense would not be able to capitalize in the inning. In the top of the eighth inning with a runner on first base, a ground ball would be hit to Daugherty who would make a pass to Faber at second base and he would make a throw to Pond at first base for the 5-4-3 double play. Moments later, a ground ball would be hit back to Saad and he would record the ground out first base to end the inning. The Elms offense would be held scoreless in the bottom of the eighth inning. Then in the top of the ninth inning, Dean would score a run early, but Saad would strikeout a batter looking, a ground out to Faber, and a swinging strikeout by Saad to clinched the 11-4 victory over the Bulldogs.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• B.Diaz: three hits, with two doubles, two runs scored, two runs batted-in, and two walks at the plate, and would pitch six innings with six strikeouts and four scoreless innings in Game 1.

• Ortiz: would pitch six innings, with four strikeouts and four scoreless innings to earn the win in Game 2.

• Arnold: would pitch three innings, with three strikeouts and two scoreless innings to earn the win in Game 1.

• Saad: would pitch three innings, with three strikeouts and two scoreless innings in Game 2.

• Pond: five hits, two runs scored, and two runs batted-in at the plate, and would be involved in a double play in the field.

• Busca: four hits, two runs scored, three runs batted-in, and two walks.

• Scanlon-Dean: three hits, with a double, two runs scored, two runs batted-in, and a stolen base.

• Martinez: three hits, two runs scored, two runs batted-in, two walks, and a stolen base.

• Rodriguez: three hits, three runs scored, a run batted-in, and a stolen base.

• Ciaglo: three hits, with a double, a run scored, three runs batted-in, and a walk.

• Faber: two hits, with a double, three runs scored, two runs batted-in, a walk, and a stolen base at the plate, and would be involved in a double play in the field.

• Daugherty: a hit, two runs scored, and three runs batted-in at the plate, and would be involved in a double play in the field.

• Essley: a run scored.

• Osella: a run scored.

UP NEXT: The Elms Baseball team will return to New London, Conn. to play for the third day of Pod Play of the 2026 GNAC Baseball Tournament against No. 1 Mitchell College on Sunday, May 3rd at 11 am.

--

For continuing coverage of Elms College Athletics, visit www.ecblazers.com and follow the Blazers on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.