Trailblazers Fall to Ephs 5-2

MCLA dropped a non-conference game with neighboring Williams College by a score of 5-2 today in wet conditions at the Joe Zavattaro Athletic Complex.

Dylan Griswold (1-0) earned the victory for the Ephs and Cody Weaver (0-3) took the loss for the home team. Williams is now 6-13 overall and MCLA falls to 10-12.

Weaver had one bad inning as he pitched six solid innings for MCLA. Weaver didn't allow a hit through the first two frames; but ran into trouble in the third with two outs. Taylor Mondshein (Larchmont, NY) and Matt Kastner (Mendham, NJ) singled and scored following a wild pitch and a two-run double by Cameron Susk (Woodside, CA). Williams would tack on one more before Weaver induced a groundout to end the inning.

MCLA responded with one in the home half off Griswold (Monson, MA). Rory Slattery had one of his two hits on the day and doubled home Chase Preite who walked two batters earlier.

The game would stay 3-1 until the top of the seventh as both starting pitchers held the bats down. MCLA pitcher Joe Vaverka relieved Weaver to start the seventh and was in trouble instantly. Vaverka walked the leadoff batter Phil McGovern (Nutley, NJ) and gave up back-to-back singles; the second off the bat of Mondshein scored a run. Vaverka settled down however and would escape the inning with no further damage.

MCLA would rally in the bottom off the eighth off Charlie Baxter (Pasadena, CA), Williams fourth pitcher of the day. Slattery walked to lead-off and Weaver was hit by a pitch. Chris Koch then reached on an error on his sacrifice bunt allowing Slattery to score and Weaver to advance to third. MCLA couldn't advance the runners any further though. Derek Lescarbeau and Dale Clark would strikeout stranding Weaver at third and pinch-runner Ryan Shewchuk (who stole second) at second base.

Kelso Stevens (Charlotte, NC) came on to earn the save in the ninth for Williams. Stevens allowed Peter Dassatti to lead-off the inning with a single to left, but retired the side after that.

Lescarbeau walked twice for MCLA and Slattery reached base three times. Weaver pitched six solid innings allowing three runs on four hits and striking out five.

Williams will be home Wednesday at 4:00pm against Westfield State and the Trailblazers will look to rebound Wednesday as well at Southern Vermont at 3:00pm.