Baseball Hold on for 13-12 Win Over Elms

HOLYOKE, Mass. – The MCLA Baseball team took to the road this evening for a non-conference matchup with Elms College at Mackenzie Field. Matthew Castillo drove in five runs and was joined by Roshan Warriar and Josh Bologh in recording three hits to power the Trailblazers to a 13-12 victory.

THE BASICS:

• Date: Wednesday, April 2, 2025
• Score: MCLA 13, Elms 12
• Records: MCLA Trailblazers 3-12 (MASCAC 0-3) | Elms College Blazers 7-12 (GNAC 2-3)
• Series History: MCLA leads the all-time series 9-5. Elms College took the last meeting of the teams by a score of 8-7 on April 4, 2023 at Elms. MCLA won the first-ever meeting of the teams 8-2 on April 2, 2006 in North Adams.

HIGHLIGHTS

• The game started out rough for the Trailblazers with Elms scoring six runs on five hits, including a three-run homer by Nick Kreuzuer in the bottom of the second inning.
• MCLA began to claw their way back into the game in the top of the fifth inning, plating three runs to cut the lead to 6-3. Freshman shortstop Roshan Warriar (Pittsfield, MA) started the rally with a one out single to centerfield and moved to second when senior third baseman Joshua Bissaillon (East Greenbush, NY) worked a walk. Both Warriar and Bissaillon advanced on a pass ball before Warriar came around to score when sophomore outfielder Joe Sardo (Great Neck, NY) reached on an error. Senior designated hitter Matthew Castillo (Ozone Park, NY) then reached on a fielder's choice that eliminated Sardo, but also scored Bissaillon. Senior catcher Josh Bologh (Waterbury, CT) then attempted to sacrifice bunt Castillo to second but ended up going all the way to third when the pitcher's throw to first went wide of the mark. The error allowed Castillo to come all the way around to score.
• The Blazers would respond with two runs in the bottom of the sixth, taking advantage of two hits and a Trailblazer error to take an 8-3 lead.
• In the top of the seventh, MCLA's offense caught fire. Castillo led off with a single to center and Bologh following with a double to right. Junior first baseman Chris Vargas (Queens Village, NY) then loaded the bases with a walk. A wild pitch allowed Castillo to score ahead of a single left by sophomore second baseman Jacob Morren (West Hartford, CT) drove in Bologh. An RBI fielder's choice by junior outfielder Michael Wormuth (Wynantskill, NY) brought Vargas home and pulled the Trailblazers within a pair at 8-6. Freshman outfielder Benjamin Jacob (Pittsfield, MA) then singled and Warriar walked to load the bases. Two batters later Sardo walked to force Wormuth home and brought Castillo to the plate for the second time in the inning. The DH came through with a bases clearing single to give the Trailblazers their first lead at 10-8.
• Elms responded with one run on one hit in the bottom of the frame, but MCLA started adding insurance runs in the eighth and ninth innings. In the eighth Vargas led off with a single through the left side, and moved to second on a wild pitch before being pushed to third on a sac bunt from sophomore second baseman Jacob Olson. Vargas then scored when Wormuth reached on a two-base error. Wormuth then moved to third thanks to a sac bunt by Jacob and scored on a wild pitch.
• For the ninth inning insurance run, Castillo drove home Sardo with a single down the right field line after Sardo had reached on an infield single and moved to second on an error.
• The ninth wasn't without concern for the Trailblazers thanks to the Blazers making the most of three hits to score three runs before senior pitcher Brady Hamel (Port St. Lucie, FL) closed the door with a strike out to seal a three inning save.
• Senior William Walsh (Maynard, MA) (1-0) struck out two in an inning of work to pick up his first win of the year, while the save was Hamel's second of the year. Elms' Devin Kazarian was saddled with the loss, falling to 1-2.

UP NEXT:

On Friday, MCLA will be back in action when it plays host to Framingham State at Archie Allen Field on the campus of Springfield College for a MASCAC doubleheader with the Rams. The first pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.

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