MCLA concludes trip with losses to Bowdoin
The MCLA baseball team dropped a pair of games to NESCAC foe Bowdoin, wrapping up their southern trip. Tyler Benoit started game two for MCLA.
Lakeland, FL- The MCLA baseball team concluded their southern trip with a pair of setbacks to Bowdoin College. The Trailblazers fell 3-2 in the opener and 5-0 in the nightcap. MCLA falls to 1-7 with the losses, while the Polar Bears improve to 6-1.
In the opener, Bowdoin scored a run in the first inning off MCLA starter Cody Weaver to grab an early lead. The Trailblazers would respond with a run in the third inning to tie the score. J.T. Ferraro's base knock plated Joe Duncan, who earlier had a bunt single. MCLA would then grab the lead in the fourth inning as Tyler Benoit belted a one out double and moved to third on Rory Slattery's single. An infield error allowed Benoit to score giving the Trailblazers a brief lead.
Bowdoin would have the answer though. The knotted the score in the fifth inning loading the bases with no one out. A fly to left field resulted in a double play as Chase Preite gunned down the tying run. The Bears Kyle Leblanc would come up with a key two out single to drive in the pivotal run. Weaver would escape further damage until the sixth.
A leadoff double to left from Dan Findley was followed by a walk and a sacrifice bunt putting runners on 2nd and 3rd with one out. Following an intentional pass to Luke Regan, Timothy McGarry was hit by a pitch to push across the go ahead run. Weaver would strike out the next two hitters to keep MCLA in it though.
MCLA had a chance in the 7th as Derek Lescarbeau was stranded at 2nd base to end the game. Weaver would be the tough luck loser. He only gave up four hits, but was hampered by 4 walks and 3 hit batters.
In game two, Trailblazer Tyler Benoit and Bowdoin's Harry Ridge were locked in a pitchers duel into the fifth inning. The Polar Bears Matt Savard would lead off the inning with a solo home run to left. Bowdoin would tack on two more runs in the frame using two more hits and two walks to grab a 3-0 lead.
Ridge was cruising as he allowed just two hits in his six innings of work. He would strike out 7 hitters to earn the win. Bowdoin would push across two more runs on a pair of wild pitches in the sixth to pull away.
Bowdoin outhit MCLA 9-2 in game two.
Ferraro had a solid outing for MCLA as he had four hits on the afternoon.
MCLA will return home to face Clark on Tuesday.