Hermance, Trailblazers Earn Split

The MCLA Trailblazers picked up their first MASCAC win of the season and gained a split with the Massachusetts Maritime Academy (5-9, 2-2). The Trailblazers move to 6-10 on the season and 1-3 in the MASCAC.

Game one was a topsy turvy affair as Maritime jumped out 4-0 after three and one half innings. In the top of the third, Maritime did some two out damage, scoring three times. The Buccaneers had back to back to back RBI hits from Joe Albano (Agawam, MA), Nick Levitre (Grafton, MA) and Michael Vargas (Natick, MA). Mass Maritime was able to tack on an unearned run in the fourth, before MCLA started to chip away.

The Trailblazers picked up two out RBI from Osiris Mendez (Queens, NY) when he singled in Joe Parillo (West Springfield, MA) from second following a Parillo double down the right field line. The Trailblazers added three in the fifth thanks to a couple of hits, a Maritime error and a balk by Maritime pitcher Tyler Genereux (Duxbury, MA); Genereux had two balks on the afternoon. Mike Meaney (North Adams, MA) who had an RBI single earlier in the inning, scored on the balk tying the game at 4-4.

The game would stay tied till the seventh when Maritime erupted for five runs. Vargas would score the winning run on a bases loaded wild pitch from Trailblazers pitcher Andrew Kelley (Dalton, MA). Maritime would score twice more in the inning on a perfectly executed suicide squeeze by Corey Murphy (East Wareham, MA). The Trailblazers threw the ball away on the play allowing two runs to score.

MCLA would get one back in the bottom of the frame, but it would be enough as they fell 9-5.

Genereux picked up the win going the distance. He allowed three earned runs on eight hits and struck out two. James Greeley (Auburndale, MA) took the loss for MCLA, pitching six and one third innings, allowing six earned and striking out six.

Game two was all about MCLA pitcher Sean Hermance (Elizaville, NY). The big right hander went the distance and gave the Trailblazers an outstanding performance. Hermance surrendered just three hits, all singles and struck out two in the shutout victory.

The MCLA bats got two in the first as they pounded out twelve hits in the second game. The Trailblazers got a big day from Parillo who was playing for the first time since the teams trip down south. Parillo had three hits in game two and four on the day and had an RBI double in the first inning of game two to get MCLA started.

John Ripepi (Amsterdam, MA) also had three hits in game two and first baseman Mendez had two, including a double.

David Hike (Riverview, FL) took the loss (1-3) for the Buccaneers allowing nine hits and four earned runs. Hermance picked up his third win of the year for the Trailblazers.

Mass. Maritime plays next on Tuesday when they host Emerson at 3:00 PM. The Trailblazers also play Tuesday when they host neighboring rival Williams College at 4:00 PM.