Baseball moves above .500 with sweep over Russell Sage

Troy, NY-- The MCLA Baseball team headed over to Troy, NY this afternoon to battle Russell Sage in a pair of games.  The Trailblazers held off the Gators in the opener to eke out a 5-4 win.  MCLA would then take the nightcap by a score of 6-3.  With the sweep, MCLA moves above .500 at 8-7 on the season.  Russell Sage is now 3-13.

Game One: MCLA 5, Russell Sage 4

In the opener, MCLA scored a run in the first when Austin Rachiele, who singled to start the game, came around on an RBI groundout from Randy Adams.  The Trailblazers led 1-0 after one inning and then tacked on three more runs in the third to take control.  Adams added another RBI and when Isaiah Mack and Ty Mazzeo drove in runs, it was 4-0.

Russell Sage would scratch out a run in the fourth to pull within 4-1 but MCLA got it right back in the fifth on another Mazzeo RBI knock.

While the Trailblazers seemed to be cruising, the Gators would not go quietly.  In the seventh, Sage's Dillon Maxon would rip an RBI double to cut the deficit to 5-2 and then Christian Brown belted a two run homer to left center to pull within a run at 5-4 off MCLA reliever James Sneyd.  Sneyd would bear down however and recorded the final out to preserve the win.

Mazzeo went 3-4 to pace the offense and drove in a pair of runs.  Adams ended just 1-3 but did drive in a pair.  Nathan Kumm started and didn't surrender a hit over his 3.2 innings.  He did walk five and allow one earned run.  Bryan Rosario would get credit for the win in relief.

Game Two: MCLA 6, Russell Sage 3

MCLA trailed in game two 2-1 after four innings of play.  The Trailblazers would eventually tie things up at 2-2 in the fifth when Rachiele scored on an error.  MCLA would then take advantage of some wildness from the Gator pitching staff in the sixth to take command.

Isaiah Mack and Mazzeo both reached to start the inning and when Tristan Ciarlo walked the bases were loaded without an out.  Following a strikeout, Sam Larabee was hit by a pitch to give MCLA the lead and then Rachiele drew a walk to bring home another run.  After a pitching change, Robinson Guerrero-Baez drew another walk to bring in the third run of the frame and MCLA led 5-3.  

Robert Correia walked with two outs to bring in the final run in the sixth and MCLA led 6-2.  Sage would get a run back in the bottom of the inning, but the MCLA bullpen would bear down and close things out.

MCLA earned the win despite just three hits in the contest.  They did draw 9 walks from Gator pitching however.  Correia paced the offense with a pair of RBI's.  

Aidan Brett started and went the first 3.1 innings.  Isaiah Tucker earned the win out of the pen going 1.1 innings.  Correia pitched the seventh and earned his first save of the season.

MCLA is back in action Friday when they begin conference play at Bridgewater State.  First pitch is set for 3pm.