Dimassimo's blast keys 7-4 Trailblazer win over Plattsburgh State
MCLA's Joe Dimassimo blasted a home run to right field to snap a 4-4 tie in the eighth inning in leading the Trailblazers past Plattsburgh State this afternoon
Winter Haven, FL- Joe Dimassimo's first career home run broke a 4-4 tie as the MCLA baseball team scored three runs in the eighth inning to hand the Plattsburgh State Cardinals a 7-4 setback this afternoon at Chain of Lakes stadium in Winter Haven. With the win, the Trailblazers improve to 3-2 on the season while Plattsburgh drops to 2-2.
With the score tied 4-4 in the top of the eighth, DiMassimo took the first pitch he saw and hammered it to deep right field. The ball hit the top of the wall and caromed over for his first career home run and giving MCLA a 5-4 lead. The Trailblazers then proceeded to get a single from Nick DiSanti and a pair of hit batters to load the bases. After a popout, Brett LaBonte delivered a two run single in to right field scoring Christian Seriac and Logan Rumbolt to make it 7-4. The Cardinals avoided further damage getting a flyout to leave the bases loaded.
Early on, the teams traded runs. MCLA got on the board first scoring a single run in the second inning before adding three more in the third. Myles Candelet scored the first Trailblazer run as he scored on a sacrifice fly from DiMassimo for an early 1-0 lead. MCLA would add three more in the third with the key hit an RBI double from Jonathon Parker and when DiMassimo was hit by a pitch, it was 4-0 Trailblazers.
Plattsburgh would get two runs in the bottom of the frame to slice into the lead and make it 4-2. One run scored on an RBI double from Stephen Bryant while another scored on TJ Montalban's walk. The score would remain 4-2 until the bottom of the fifth as the Cardinals eventually tied it up at 4-4. Kentaro Mori drove in one run with an RBI single and Tino Ycaza did the same to provide the runs.
Dimassimo ended the day with three RBI to lead the offense. LaBonte and Candelet each had a pair of hits for MCLA. Bobby New was outstanding for the Trailblazers as he tossed 1.2 innings and struck out three batters to earn his first win in a Trailblazer uniform. Austin Miller tossed the ninth to close it out.
The Trailblazers are off for the next two days and will take on Colby Sawyer in a doubleheader on Thursday in Auburndale, FL.