HOLYOKE, Mass. – In a pair of highly-contested New England Collegiate Conference games, the Hawks and Blazers each took one game in Sunday's doubleheader at MacKenzie Stadium.
THE BASICS
April 18, 2021
MacKenzie Stadium
Becker Hawks 4-10 (4-2 NECC)
Elms Blazers 4-6 (4-6 NECC)
GAME ONE: Elms 5 – Becker 2
The Blazers were out to a 3-0 lead early in game one, starting the scoring with an RBI double in the bottom of the first by senior Nathan Ayala (Springfield, Mass.).
In the bottom of the second, a two-run single off the bat of Elms junior Tyler Galenski (Wilbraham, Mass.) improved the Blazers lead to 3-0.
The Hawks responded later in the game with runs in the fourth and fifth innings. An RBI groundout freshman Carter Jackman (Kanab, Utah) cut the deficit to 3-1. An inning later, in the top of the fifth, the Hawks benefitted from a Blazers error to trail 3-2.
Elms added some insurance in the bottom of the sixth to comfortably win the first game of the afternoon. Another two-run single from Galenski provided the final runs of the game, as the Blazers went on to the 5-2 win.
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For Elms, Galenski batted 3-for-4, all singles and four RBI. Ayala's first-inning double was the Blazers only extra-base hit, as he finished 1-for-3 with his RBI double.
For Becker, freshman Ethan Perry (Dartmouth, Mass.) finished 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored. Senior Jose Martinez (Guaynabo, Puerto Rico) was 1-for-2 with a double.
Winning Pitcher: Kyle Sebastyanski (1-1)
Losing Pitcher: Tevon Johnson (1-3)
Save: Austin Roy (2)
GAME TWO: Becker 2 – Elms 0
A two-run single in the top of the third was all the scoring provided in game two, as the Hawks earned a split of Sunday's conference doubleheader.
The Hawks loaded the bases in the top of the third on singles by senior Kevin Santiago (New Bedford, Mass.) and freshman Silas Thomas (Sequim, Wash.) and a hit batter with senior Noah Rivera (New Bedford, Mass.).
Senior Coby Hussey (Claremont, N.H.) stepped in and delivered the two-run single, scoring Santiago and Rivera to take the 2-0 lead.
The Blazers had their share of opportunities to score, but the Hawks defense and freshman pitcher Russell Dunlap (North Attleboro, Mass.) shut the door on every occasion.
Elms had two runners in scoring position in the bottom of the fourth but flyouts to left field and right field kept the Blazers down 2-0.
Again, in the bottom of the seventh, the Blazers would get two runners in scoring position with two outs, but a groundout back to Russell finished off the shutout, the first of his career.
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For Becker, Hussey's single was his only hit of game two, as he finished 1-for-3 with two RBI. Dunlap pitched a complete game, allowing five hits and striking out four.
For Elms, Galenski batted 2-for-3, both singles. Freshman Justin Miller (Prospect, Conn.) finished 2-for-2 with a double.
Winning Pitcher: Russell Dunlap (2-2)
Losing Pitcher: Damon Wesley (1-2)
