Baseball earns conference win as they split with Rams

North Adams, MA-- The MCLA Baseball team split a pair of games this afternoon as they hosted Framingham State at Joe Wolfe Field in downtown North Adams.  The Trailblazers jumped out to a 6-0 lead in game one and held on for a 6-5 victory.  The Rams earned the split with a 6-3 win in the nightcap.

Framingham State is now 7-16 overall and 3-6 in conference play.  With the split, MCLA drops to 10-15 and is now 1-7 in the MASCAC.

Game One: MCLA 6, Framingham State 5

MCLA jumped on Framingham starter Anthony Panza early in the opener.  The Trailblazers scored four runs in the first and two more in the second for an early 6-0 advantage.  Isaiah Mack started the scoring with an RBI single in the first for a 1-0 lead.  Ty Mazzeo brought home another run and when Matthew Belfance singled to bring in two more, the Trailblazers led 4-0.

Robinson Guerrero-Baez added a sacrifice fly in the second inning and then Randy Adams ripped an RBI single and MCLA led 6-0.

The Rams would chip away and eventually chase MCLA starter Nathan Kumm in the third inning.  They would take advantage of his wildness in the third inning as Kumm hit a batter to bring in the Rams first run while two more came around on a Trailblazer error.  After three innings of play, MCLA led 6-3.

The Rams would get closer in the sixth inning.  Cameron Gilroy brought home a run with an RBI hit and he eventually came around on a wild pitch to claw the Rams within 6-5.  MCLA's James Sneyd was summoned out of the bullpen and got out of the inning.

Sneyd would work around a two out singled in the seventh inning to record the save.

MCLA outhit Framingham 8-4 in the opener.  Mazzeo collected two hits in the win.

MCLA's Nathan Morse earned the win in relief of Kumm.  He tossed three innings, allowed three hits and two earned runs.

Game Two: Framingham State 6, MCLA 3

In a reversal from the opener, the Rams jumped all over MCLA starter Bryan Rosario in the nightcap.  Framingham scored four times in the first inning.  Ryan Boyle's single started the scoring and when Daniel Robichaud followed suit, it was 2-0 Framingham.  Steven Burbank capped the inning with a two run single to increase the margin to 4-0.

Rosario would settle down but the Rams added solo runs in the third and fifth innings to grab a 6-0 lead.  The Trailblazers finally got to Ram starting pitcher Jack Foley in the bottom of the fifth.

Guerrero-Baez stepped to the plate for MCLA with the Bases Loaded.  He launched a bases clearing double but was thrown out at third base trying to stretch to a triple.  His hit did cut the lead to 6-3, but also quieted the MCLA rally.  

Foley wasn't threatened the rest of the way.  He went the distance and allowed 7 hits, three runs, and struck out three Trailblazers to earn his first win of the season.

Rosario went five innings and allowed the six runs.  He did strike out a season best 9 batters.  Austin Rachiele led the offense with a pair of hits.

The Trailblazers continue MASCAC play on Monday when they head to Westfield State.