Trailblazers hold off SVC in non conference baseball action

North Adams, MA- The MCLA Baseball team snapped a three game losing skid as they held off the Southern Vermont Mountaineers 7-5 this afternoon at Joe Wolfe Field in North Adams.   The Mountaineers scored three times in the ninth before the Trailblazer bullpen got a flyout to end the game with the tying runs in scoring position.

The Trailblazers improve to 6-9 on the season while SVC drops to 4-13.

Billy Pulasky and Logan Rumbolt each had two hits to pace the nine hit attack while the Trailblazer bullpen was outstanding.  The combination of Frank Rickus, Schamal Forbes, Bobby New, and Eamonn Andre shut down the Mountaineer attack after starter Joe Murray went just 1.2 innings. Rickus earned the win tossing 3.1 innings and didn't allow a run to improve to 2-0 on the season. 

After three innings, the Trailblazers held a 2-1 lead over the Mountaineers as they pushed across two runs in their first at bat.  Billy Pulasky drove in Joe Toledo with a single to left for the first run and then Myles Candelet executed a suicide squeeze scoring Christian Seariac for the early lead at 2-0.

The Mountaineers would take advantage of some Trailblazer wildness in the second inning to get within 2-1.  MCLA starter Joe Murray walked two batter and hit another to load the bases.  When Murray hit SVC's Dan Mason it pushed a run across for the Mountaineers.  MCLA avoided further damage as Frank Rickus relieved Murray and ended the frame to preserve the lead.

Joe Dimassimo's RBI single to right scored Pulasky in the third inning to stretch the lead to 3-1 after three complete for the Trailblazers.

MCLA added two more runs in the bottom of the fourth as Logan Rumbolt scored on a wild pitch and then Pulasky drove in his second run of the day as his single scored Seariac making it 5-1.  The Trailblazers separated themselves with two more runs in the fifth on the heels of another wild pitch and an RBI single from Joe Buonemani to stretch the lead to 7-1.

SVC tacked on an unearned run in the seventh inning, and then mounted a rally in the top of the ninth against MCLA reliever Schuyler Robinson.  The Mountaineers got an RBI single from Nate Hickey and a sacrifice fly to close within 7-4, and when Anthony LaBella doubled home a run it was 7-5 with runners at second and third.  Nick Santoro would pinch hit, but Robinson induced a fly out to right to end the game.

Nick Gambardella (0-2) absorbed the loss for SVC tossing 5 innings, allowing 9 hits and all 7 runs, 5 of which were earned.  Zach Stacey had a pair of hits to pace the Mountaineer lineup.

The Trailblazers are back in action on Thursday when they head to Anna Maria for a doubleheader that's played at the New England Baseball Complex at 2pm.  The Mountaineers battle Daniel Webster tomorrow in NECC action.