Baseball Splits Conference Doubleheader with Lasell at the Bird’s Nest

BRIGHTON, Mass. - The Elms College Baseball team traveled to play Lasell University for a conference doubleheader on Thursday afternoon at Boston College's Eddie Pellagrini Diamond.

BASICS
Game 1
Score: Elms College 0 | Lasell University
Records: Blazers 6-9, 0-3 (GNAC) | Lasers 10-7, 4-3 (GNAC)

Game 2
Score: Elms College 13 | Lasell University 9
Records: Blazers 7-9, 1-3 (GNAC) | Lasers 10-8, 4-4 (GNAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED
Game 1
Sophomore pitcher/infielder Brycen Diaz (Andrews, Texas) would start for Elms in the opening game of the doubleheader. In the first inning, both teams would go down in order and would not see a runner reach base. During the inning, B.Diaz would record two swinging strikeouts. The second inning would continue a similar narrative, seeing both teams holding the other scoreless, and B.Diaz throwing another pair of strikeouts. In the third inning, first year infielder Colin Faber (Suffield, Conn.) would earn a walk and B.Diaz would add a fifth strikeout. In the bottom of the fourth inning, Lasell would score the first run of the day. In the fifth inning, sophomore outfielder/infielder Liam Pond (Holyoke, Mass.) would earn a walk and B.Diaz would toss a sixth strikeout, but the Lasers would add to their lead with a second run. In the top of the sixth inning, first year outfielder Anthony Osella (Manchester, Conn.) would hit a double to left field and a single by first year catcher Eliam Martinez (Dominican Republic), but the Blazers would be unable to score in the inning. In the bottom half of the inning, junior pitcher Ryan Ziegler (Uncasville, Conn.) would relieve B.Diaz on the mound, but the Lasell offense would extend their lead by three runs. In the seventh, the Elms offense would try to rally late, but the Lasers would take the opening game, 5-0.

Game 2
In the top of the first inning, the Blazers offense would take the early lead, after junior infielder/pitcher Andrew Ciaglo (Hadley, Mass.) and B.Diaz would both be hit by a pitch and Martinez would reach base on a fielder's choice. Then with runners on first and second, senior outfielder/pitcher Nason Busca (Windsor, Conn.) would hit a three-run home run to right field. Junior infielder/pitcher Jayden Maynard (Enfield, Conn.) would take the ball for Elms in the second game at Boston College's baseball stadium, and Lasell would not be able to score in the inning. In the second inning, the Blazers would see three walks to first year outfielder Ryan Piccola (Oceanside, N.Y.), Osella, and Ciaglo to load the bases, but the Elms offense would not be able to capitalize and extend their lead further. Then in the bottom half of the second, the Lasers would be able to score a run after a lead-off triple would be hit to center field. In the third inning, Lasell would score a second run, bringing the score to 3-2. In the fourth inning, Faber would hit a double to right field and senior pitcher Colby Arnold (Waterford, Conn.) would relieve Maynard, recording a swinging strikeout in the inning, but the Lasers would take the lead after scoring two runs in the inning. In the top of the fifth, B.Diaz would be hit by a second base and then Busca would step up to the plate and hit a second home run to right field to retake the lead. Shortly thereafter, the Blazers offense would continue to rally, with four-straight singles by junior catcher Nicky Calvanese (Longmeadow, Mass.), first year infielder Aidan Daugherty (Southwick, Mass.), Faber, and Piccola, with Faber stealing a base, and they would score two more runs, bringing the score to 8-4. In the bottom of the fifth inning, the Lasers offense would be shut down in order, with the Elms defense showing a good performance in the inning. In the top of the sixth inning, the Blazers would continue to add to their offensive momentum, scoring five more runs in the inning. During the inning, Ciaglo, B.Diaz, and Busca would earn walks, and a pair of singles from Martinez and Calvanese, bringing the score to 13-4. Lasell would try to create a rally in the bottom half of the inning, scoring four runs in the inning, but Arnold would throw a second swinging strikeout and the Elms defense would record the third out to get out of the jam. In the seventh inning, the Lasers would score a run, which would lead to sophomore pitcher/outfielder Sal Ortiz (Springfield, Mass.) relieving Arnold in the inning, but the Blazers would be able to record the final two outs, including Calvanese and Ortiz catching a base runner trying to steal at home plate. In the eighth inning, both teams would be held scoreless, but Ortiz would toss two strikeouts and would end the inning catching a second base runner trying to steal in a rundown involving Ortiz, Daugherty, and Faber. In the top of the ninth inning, Faber would hit a double to right field, Piccola would earn a walk and steal second base, and a walk to Osella, but the Elms offense would not be able to score in the inning. Then in the bottom of the ninth, the Blazers would shut down the Lasell offense in order and would secure the 13-9 conference victory and split the doubleheader at the Division I facility.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• B.Diaz: three runs scored and a walk at the plate, and would pitch five innings, with six strikeouts.

• Arnold: would earn the win in the second game, pitching three and ⅓ innings, with two strikeouts.

• Ortiz: would earn the save in the second game, pitching two and ⅔ innings, with two strikeouts.

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

• Faber: three hits, with two doubles, a run scored, a run batted-in, a walk, and a stolen base.

• Calvanese: two hits, two runs scored, and two runs batted-in.

• Piccola: a hit, a run batted-in, two walks, and a stolen base.

• Osella: a hit, with a double, and two walks.

• Daugherty: a hit, a run scored, and a run batted-in.

• Martinez: two hits and two runs scored.

• Maynard: would pitch three innings.

• Ziegler: would pitch an inning.

• Ciaglo: a run scored, two walks

• Pond: a walk.

UP NEXT: The Elms Baseball team will travel to Franklin, Mass. to play Dean College for a conference doubleheader on Monday, April 6th at 1 & 3:30 pm.

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