Givhans Homers and Picks Up a Save as Baseball Earns First MASCAC Win

BUZZARDS BAY, Mass. – The MCLA Baseball team made a long trip to the shore this weekend for a three-game MASCAC series at Mass. Maritime. Clarence Givhans homered and picked up a save in the afternoon's first game before a pair of Buccaneer pitchers held the Trailblazers to three hits in the second game. The team split the doubleheader ahead of tomorrow's rubber game at Commodore William R. Hendy Field.

THE BASICS:

• Date: Saturday, April 13, 2024
• Game #1: MCLA 5, Mass. Maritime 4
• Game #2: MCLA 2, Mass. Maritime 5
• Records: MCLA Trailblazers 5-14 (MASCAC 2-4) | Mass. Maritime Buccaneers 11-13 (MASCAC 4-4)

HIGHLIGHTS

• Game #1
  • Clarence Givhans got MCLA on the board in the first inning with a two-run home run to right center. The homer was his team-leading fourth of the season, and the two RBIs brought his team-leading total to 15. The Trailblazers added two more runs before the frame was completed. Josh Bologh followed Givhans with a double down the right field line, and two batters later, Ty Mazzeo came back from an 0-2 hole to walk, putting runners at first and second for Chris Vargas. Vargas then singled to left center to score Bologh before Mazzeo scored from third when Joshua Bissaillon's ground ball into the hole was booted around by the shortstop.
  • The Buccaneers battled back to tie the game at four, scoring three runs in the second and another run in the fourth.
  • Despite having runners on base in all but the fifth inning, MCLA wouldn't take the lead back until the top of the seventh inning, scratching together a two-out rally that started with a single by Rob Correia. TJ Platt came on to run for Correia and proceeded to steal second base, from which Mazzeo brought him home with the game-winning RBI on a single into right-center field.
  • Garrett Brunette pitched 2.2 innings of two-hit relief to earn the win, leveling his season record at 2-2. Givhans pitched a scoreless seventh inning to record his third save. Jay Loeffler took the loss for the Buccaneers, falling to 1-2.
• Game #2
  • The hosts were the first ones on the scoreboard in game #2, scoring on a solo home run to center by Brett Velzis in the bottom of the first.
  • MCLA responded with a pair of runs in the top of the second inning when Bissaillon shot a single up the middle to score Vargas and Mazzeo, who had each walked and moved to second and third on a sac bunt by pitcher Aiden Brett.
  • Those would prove to be the last runs of the day for the Trailblazers, as Chase Dwight and Brenden Baiardi combined to allow only a pair of hits over the final five innings, while the Buccaneers responded with two runs in the bottom of the second before adding insurance runs in both the fifth and sixth innings.
  • Dwight earned the win, striking out four while only allowing two hits in five innings, upping his record to 2-1. Baiardi struck out three in two innings to pick up his third save of the season. Brett took the loss for MCLA despite striking out six in 3.2 innings.

UP NEXT:

On Sunday, MCLA will be back in action when they wrap up their MASCAC series with Mass. Maritime at Commodore William R. Hendy Field. The first pitch is scheduled for noon.

STAY CONNECTED:

For the latest on MCLA Athletics, follow the Trailblazers via our social media platforms on Facebook, Instagram, or X (formerly Twitter).