Baseball Comes from Behind to Defeat Elms 6-4
Framingham, Mass. – Sophomore catcher Tony Iafolla (Medfield, Mass.) went 4-for-5 at the plate with a pair of doubles and a pair of runs scored as the Framingham State University baseball team defeated Elms College 6-4 in a non-conference contest this afternoon at Bowditch Field.
With the victory, the Rams, winners of four in a row, improve to 19-11 on the year, while the loss drops the Blazers to 11-16.
Elms staked themselves a 1-0 lead in the top of the second as they took advantage of a Framingham error to score an unearned run. Senior Ray Rivera (San Juan, Puerto Rico) reached on an error and advance to second on a groundout. Sophomore Felix Montalvo (Carolina, Puerto Rico) plated Rivera with a single through the left side.
The Blazers added single runs in the fourth and fifth as they took advantage of three more FSU errors. In the fourth, the Blazers scored without recording a hit as senior Nick Iavicoli (Hampden, Mass.) was hit by a pitch and advanced to second on a failed pickoff attempt. Iavicoli came around to score on a two out error. In the fifth, freshman Brady Forrest (Hampden, Mass.) singled and after a Framingham error came around to score on an RBI hit off the bat of junior Steve Fisher (West Boylston, Mass.).
The Rams got on the board in with single runs in the fourth and fifth. In the fourth, Iafolla singled to lead the inning off. Back-to-back singles from freshmen Matt Gerard (Milford, Mass.) and Mark Mainini (Hull, Mass.) loaded the bases. Iafolla then scored on a wild pitch, but that was all the Rams would get as Elms junior John Russell (Springfield, Mass.) induced an inning ending double play. Sophomore Ivan Colon (Waltham, Mass.) walked with one out in the fifth and an Iafolla double down the left field line moved him to third. Colon then scampered home on a passed ball cutting the Blazers lead to 3-2 after five.
The Rams took their first lead of the game in the bottom of the sixth on RBI singles from freshman Cam Couillard (North Andover, Mass.) and junior Will Crofton (Hopkinton, Mass.). The Rams lead was short lived as the Blazers knotted the score at 4-4 in the top of the seventh with another unearned run.
A two run double by senior Chris Blydell (Lynn, Mass.) put the Rams on top for good in the seventh inning. Iafolla doubled to lead off the inning and scored what proved to be the game-winning run, while pinch hitter Chris Cole (Lynn, Mass.) singled in the inning and also scored.
Junior Felipe Barahona (Lynn, Mass.) earned the victory for the Rams tossing 4.2 innings of relief. Barahona surrendered just one unearned run on four hits with four strikeouts. Freshman Patrick Murray (Framingham, Mass.) started on the hill for the Rams going 4.1 innings and allowing three runs, all unearned, on four hits with a pair of strikeouts and no walks.
Freshman relief pitcher Geoffrey Frost (Ludlow, Mass.) picked up the loss for the Blazers going four innings and allowing five runs, three earned, on ten hits with a walk and a strikeout. Russell did not factor in the decision as he also went four innings allowing one earned run on six hits with three walks and two strikeouts.
Blydell went 1-for-5 at the plate for the Rams with two RBI, while Crofton finished 3-of-5 with an RBI. Junior Justin Forman (Watertown, Mass.) and Mainini each chipped in a pair of hits, while Couillard drove in one.
Sophomore Alex King (Lebanon, Conn.) was the only Blazer to record multiple hits as he went 2-for-4 at the plate, while Fisher and Montalvo each picked up a hit and RBI.
The Rams return to action on Friday afternoon at Coast Guard at 4 p.m., while the Blazers travel to Southern Vermont on Saturday for a pair of games beginning at noon.