Baseball Sweeps Alfred University in Florida

DAVENPORT, Fla. - The Elms College Baseball team played Alfred University in a non-conference doubleheader on Tuesday as a part of the RussMatt Invitational.

BASICS
Game 1
Score: Elms College 11 | Alfred University 4
Records: Blazers 2-3, 0-0 (GNAC) | Saxons 1-4, 0-0 (EMPIRE 8)

Game 2
Score: Elms College 8 | Alfred University 0
Records: Blazers 3-3, 0-0 (GNAC) | Saxons 1-5, 0-0 (EMPIRE 8)

HOW IT HAPPENED
Game 1
Junior infielder/pitcher Jayden Maynard (Enfield, Conn.) would take the mound for Elms in the first game against Alfred. In the top of the first inning, Maynard would throw one swinging strikeout and the Blazers defense would hold the Saxons scoreless in the inning. In the bottom half of the first, first year outfielder Anthony Osella (Manchester, Conn.) would be hit by a pitch and would be followed by a two-run home run to right field by first year outfielder Raynel Rodriguez (San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic) on the first pitch he saw. In the top of the second inning, Alfred would record their first hit, but the Blazers once again would hold their opposition scoreless. In the bottom of the second, first year infielder Aidan Daugherty (Southwick, Mass.) would hit a single up the middle to drive in junior catcher Nicky Calvanese (Longmeadow, Mass.). In the top of the third inning, Maynard would record one last swinging strikeout, but the Saxons would score their first run of the game. Shortly thereafter, junior infielder/pitcher Andrew Ciaglo (Hadley, Mass.) would come into relief for Maynard on the hill. However, the Alfred offense would add two more runs during the inning, but Ciaglo would end the inning with a swinging strikeout of his own. In the top of the fourth, the Saxons would continue to keep their offensive momentum by adding another run. In the bottom half of the fourth, the Elms offense would score six runs to regain the lead. During the inning, Daugherty and first year infielder Colin Faber (Suffield, Conn.) would each record one-run singles to bring sophomore outfielder Liam Pond (Holyoke, Mass.) and Calvanese across the plate, followed by a walk by Rodriguez that would score Daugherty, and back-to-back reaches on fielder's choice from senior outfielder/pitcher Nason Busca (Windsor, Conn.) and Pond that would drive-in Faber and Osella. In the top of the fifth inning, Ciaglo would add a strikeout and the Blazers defense would once again restrain Alfred from scoring. In the top of the sixth inning, sophomore pitcher/infielder Brycen Diaz (Andrews, Texas) would take over on the mound for Ciaglo, where he would record a swinging strikeout and the Saxons would be unable to reach base in the inning. In the bottom half of the inning, the Elms offense would add two final runs, when Pond and Diaz would hit back-to-back one-run singles to the outfield that would bring Osella and Rodriguez across home plate. In the top of the seventh inning, the Alfred offense would try to tally some late runs to tie or regain the lead, but the Blazers defense would record the three necessary outs to take the Game One victory, 11-4.

Game 2
In the top of the first inning, the Elms offense would see Ciaglo record a single and Busca reach base on a fielder's choice, but they would be unable to score the first run of the game. In the bottom half of the first, junior pitcher Scott Cooper (Middletown, R.I.) would take the ball for the Blazers. During the inning, Cooper would allow one hit and the Elms defense would record the three outs they would need to move along to the second inning. In the top half of the next inning, sophomore catcher Alex Baeta (Bellingham, Mass.) would drive in junior infielder Manny Essley (Duxbury, Mass.) for the game's opening run with a single to center field. In the bottom of the second, Cooper would end the scoreless inning with his first strikeout of the day. In the top of the third inning, the Blazers would see runners on base after back-to-back walks from Ciaglo and Busca, but neither would be able to score. In the bottom half of the inning, the Elms defensive efforts would continue to control the Saxons offense, including an attempt to turn a single into a double, but the Blazers would be able to record the final out of the inning. In the top of the fourth, the Elms offense would begin the inning by hitting back-to-back triples from Essley and senior outfielder Noah Scanlon-Dean (Hadley, Mass.), followed by a single from Baeta that would see Essley and Scanlon-Dean both score, along with a stolen base by Baeta. In the bottom of the fourth inning, Cooper would strikeout one batter and allow two runners on base, but after a fly ball to left field was caught by first year outfielder Ryan Piccola (Oceanside, N.Y.), he would make the throw to Faber at third base to end the inning. In the top of the fifth inning, Busca would earn a walk and would steal second base. Followed by Pond reaching base on a fielder's choice. Soon thereafter, B.Diaz would double down the left field line, where Busca and Pond would both score. In the bottom half of the inning, Cooper would strike out the first two batters, both swinging, and the Alfred offense would continue to struggle to add runs to the scoreboard. In the top of the sixth inning, Faber would hit a single, on a bunt, and would later score on a balk by the Saxons' pitcher, to increase the lead to 6-0. In the bottom half of the sixth, Cooper would begin the inning with a swinging strikeout and back-to-back foul outs would be recorded by Essley. In the top of the seventh inning, B.Diaz and Essley would both cross the plate after an Essley-single and Scanlon-Dean would reach base on an error by the Alfred shortstop, followed by a double from Baeta, that would extend the Blazers lead 8-0. In the bottom of the seventh, junior pitcher Ryan Ziegler (Uncasville, Conn.) would come in to relieve Cooper, where he would strikeout three of the five batters he faced to secure the 8-0 shutout and the sweep victory for Elms.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Rodriguez: two runs scored, a hit, with a home run, three runs batted-in, and a walk.

• Busca: two runs batted-in, a run scored, two walks, and a stolen base.

• Pond: two runs scored, a hit, two runs batted-in, and a walk.

• B.Diaz: two runs scored, two hits, with a double, three runs batted-in at the plate, and would pitch two innings with a strikeout.

• Calvanese: two runs scored, a hit, and a walk.

• Essley: three runs scored, two hits, with a triple, two runs batted-in, and a walk.

• Ciaglo: a hit and a walk at the plate, and would pitch two and ⅔ innings with two strikeouts.

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

• Maynard: would pitch two and ⅔ innings with two strikeouts.

• Faber: two runs scored, two hits, a run batted-in, and a walk.

• Daugherty: a run scored, two hits, and three runs batted-in.

• Cooper: would pitch six innings with five strikeouts.

• Ziegler: would pitch an inning with three strikeouts.

• Osella: three runs scored and a walk.

• Scanlon-Dean: a run scored, a hit, with a triple, and a run batted-in.

• Piccola: a hit.

UP NEXT: The Elms Baseball team will return to Davenport, Fla. for a non-conference doubleheader against Cornell College, Iowa on Thursday, March 12th at 3 & 5:30 pm.

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