Baseball comeback falls just short at Elms

CHICOPEE, Mass.— Down 7-0 after 4 innings the MCLA Baseball team drew to within one run twice but fell just short losing 8-7 to Elms College in nonconference action tonight at Makenzie Stadium.

The Blazers needed only three hits taking advantage of four walks, a passed ball, a wild pitch and a hit batsman to score six runs in the bottom of the 2^nd and would add another in the 4^th to take a 7-0 lead.  

MCLA would get one back in the top of the 5^th when Austin Rachiele (4-for-5, 3 RBIs) singled home William Walsh to make it 7-1.

After Walsh scored again, this time thanks to a Blazer error, another RBI single from Rachiele and an RBI double from Clarence Givhans would make it 7-4 and would cause a pitching change with one out in the top of the 7^th. Randy Adams (2-for-5, 2RBIs) would greet the new reliever with a 2-RBI base hit to bring the Trailblazers within one headed to the home half.

Elms would score what proved to be a necessary run in the bottom of the 7^th to to stretch the lead to two as Rachiele would double in Josh Bologh in the top of the 8^th to cut the margin to one again at 8-7.

Noel Medina would get hit by a pitch and Ty Mazzeo (2-for-4) would single to to represent the go ahead run in the top of the 9th but a game ending double play would secure the win for the Blazers. 

Aaron Young (3-for-4, RBI) and Tyler Galenski (2-for-4, 2 RBIs) along with George Chaya Jr. (2-for-4, RBI) and AJ Cook (2-for-5, RBI) led Elms at the plate.

Blazer staring pitcher Austin Roy (W, 2-0) allowed 4 earned runs on nine hits in 6.1 innings of work. Trailblazer reliever Garrett Brunette (L, 0-1) was charged with the loss.

Both teams are on the road on Thursday at 3:30pm. Elms will travel to Coast Guard while MCLA is slated to begin a 3-game series at MASCAC foe Worcester State.