Five Run Third Sends Blazers Past WNE
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Elms | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 12 | 3 |
|
Western New Eng. | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 7 | 1 |
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (April 12, 2022) – The Western New England baseball team hosted the Elms College Blazers on Tuesday afternoon, coming away with a non-conference defeat 6-5 after allowing the Blazers to come around and score five runs in the third inning, never being able to mount a full comeback in the loss.
Records:
- Elms College: 10-11
- Western New England: 12-9
How it Happened:
The Golden Bears got out to an impressive start, picking up the game's first three runs in the bottom of the second inning. Jack Loftus picked up WNE's first RBI on a single up the middle, giving the Golden Bears a 1-0 lead. After Jake Gerraughty lined out to second base, Aaron Cole would advance to home on an error by the second baseman following the play to give WNE a 2-0 lead. Kohtaro Shimada would bring in Loftus on an RBI double to left field to cap off the three run inning, as Western New England took the three run lead into the top of the 3rd.
The Blazers would come out and answer the Golden Bears three runs by putting up five of their own in the top of the third, taking their first lead of the contest. Two hard hit balls the resulted in a triple and a double for Elms would give the Blazers their first two runs quickly in the third inning. Another double from the Blazers would see the game tying run cross the plate as the Blazers came away with their third run of the game. Two singles would send in two additional runners for Elms, as the Blazers exited the top of the third inning with a 5-3 lead over the Golden Bears. After WNE failed to convert on a chance with a runner in scoring position in the bottom of the third, Elms came back for another run in the top of the fourth to send EC to a 6-3 lead over the Golden Bears. A single up the middle would give the Blazers that sixth run of the contest to give Elms the three-run lead.
Pitching would prove to be the difference for the Blazers as Josh Guilmartin would go the first 6.1 innings for the Blazers, giving up six hits and five runs, two earned, while striking out five Golden Bears. The Golden Bears would pull Guilmartin from the mound after they were able to pick up two runs in the bottom of the 7th inning. Jack Loftus would start the hitting parade with a triple to center field to lead off the inning. Gerraughty would reach on an Elms error to get one on base while scoring one. Cody Waterbury would double to right field to score Gerraughty to get the Golden Bears back within a run. WNE wouldn't be able to pick up another run in the inning, trailing by one. The bases would load for the Golden Bears in the bottom of the 8th with just one out though WNE would fail to score as the Blazers would record a strikeout and a fly out to end the inning. Elms would go out in order in the top of the ninth, giving WNE one final chance with the bats. The chance would come up short as Western New England would go down in order in the 9th, falling to the Blazers of Elms College by a final score of 6-5.
Around the Diamond:
- Jack Loftus was the lone Golden Bear with a two hit effort on the afternoon, picking up two hits in three at bats while scoring two runs and picking up one RBI.
- Elms used just two pitchers to get by the Golden Bears as relief pitcher Dominick Whalen closed out the final 2.2 innings giving up one hit and no runs while walking one and striking out two.
- WNE left seven runners on base in the loss.
Up Next on the Schedule:
- The Golden Bears head to Amherst College in non-conference action on Wednesday, April 13 at 4:00 pm.
- Elms College battles Springfield College on the same date at 3:30 pm.
