Baseball falls to MASCAC leader Salem State twice

Westfield, MA- The MCLA Trailblazers and Salem State Vikings hooked up for a doubleheader held at Westfield State University due to wet field conditions.  The Vikings rallied to take the opener 7-6 before cruising to a 12-0 victory in the nightcap.  Salem stays atop the MASCAC at 8-0 and improves to 16-10 overall.  The Trailblazers fall to 2-18 overall and just 1-7 in conference play.

The opener was a well played game that saw Salem rally from a 6-5 deficit as they scored single runs in the sixth and seventh innings to pull out the narrow victory.  The visitors quickly jumped on MCLA starter Mike Mancivalano and were ahead 2-0 after batting in the second.  MCLA would answer though with three runs off Viking starter Ryan Sharp in the bottom half to grab a 3-2 lead. 

The Vikings then scored three times in the fourth inning to take a 5-3 edge.  They parlayed three hits with a key MCLA miscue to grab the lead.  Kevin Salines had an RBI hit in the frame and Kyle McElroy added a run scoring double.

After MCLA went quietly in the fourth, they rallied once again scoring three times in the fifth for a 6-5 lead.  Mike Sullivan, who led off with a single, came around on Tyler Benoit's RBI single while Rory Slattery had a run scoring single too.  After Cody Weaver's groundball scored Benoit, MCLA had the lead.

Salem had one final push though as they got to Trailblazer reliever Slattery in the sixth.  A Ryan Beliveau leadoff single started the inning.  Following a flyout, pinch runner Matt Cafarella would steal second base and move to third on a wild pitch.  Salines would lay down a bunt to score Cafarella to tie the score at 6 heading to the seventh.

Consecutive one out singles from Matt Burgess and Brett Cahill put runners on first and second.  Mike Lamothe came through in the clutch with the game winning RBI hit scoring pinch runner Casey Grenier.  MCLA averted further damage getting out of a bases loaded jam with a strikeout and flyout.

Andrew Guido, who had come on to record the final out in the sixth, worked a harmless seventh to earn the win.  Slattery was tagged with the loss. 

Salem had 13 hits as McElroy, Cahill, Lamothe, and Beliveau all had two each.

For MCLA, they rapped out 11 hits lead by Chase Preite, Benoit, and Slattery all with two apiece.

Game two was a lopsided affair as Salem quickly capitalized on Trailblazer starter Cody Weaver's lack of control.  They scored three unearned runs in the first using just two hits, three hits, and an error to seize control early.  Beliveau keyed the inning with a two run single.

Salem would add two more runs in the second inning, this time using an RBI single from McElroy and a groundout to tack on two more runs.  Weaver would settle down and throw three more scoreless frames.

The Vikings would score seven times in the sixth inning off the Trailblazer bullpen and never looked back. 

Viking starter Ed Deren was the beneficiary of the run support.  He logged six innings of work and surrendered just three hits and tallied four strikouts to earn the win.  Weaver was tagged with the loss for MCLA.

Salem recieved nine free passes from MCLA pitching in game two and belted ten hits.  Ethan Trowt was the lone Viking with two hits.

Jared Gersch had two safeties for MCLA in the nightcap.