SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (April 17, 2024) – After defeating the Blazers of Elms College a week ago 10-2, the Western New England baseball team put another ten spot on the Blazers at Trelease Park on Wednesday afternoon, taking down Elms by a final score of 10-3. Nate Acabchuk shined in his first start at Trelease Park, while three Golden Bears collected a pair of RBIs in the win.

Records:

• Western New England: 13-13
• Elms College: 15-15

How it Happened:

Making his first start on home field on Wednesday, first-year Nate Acabchuk set the top of the Elms College order down in order, leaving the Golden Bears with an early chance to get on the board. The WNE offense did help Acabchuk in the opening frame after Sean Jamieson would reach on a fielder's choice, Jack Loftus would drive in the graduate student with an RBI single to center field to give the Golden Bears a quick 1-0 lead after one inning of play. The Blazers would go down 1-2-3 in the top of the second inning as Acabchuk would set down the first six Blazers he would face in the contest.

Western New England would come around for four runs in the bottom of the second inning. Kohtaro Shimada opened the inning with a bloop double to right field, while Andrew Florek (BB) and Aaron Cole (single) would load the bases with no outs. Canon Marshall would pick up an RBI after being walked, while Trey Young would come around for a two-RBI single to left field, giving Western New England a 4-0 lead. Sean Jamieson would record the last RBI of the inning, grabbing a sacrifice fly as the Golden Bears would run out of the inning with a 5-0 lead over Elms.

The score would remain 5-0 until the bottom of the fourth inning, when the Golden Bears were back on the scoreboard again, adding three more runs in the inning. Jack Loftus would pick up an RBI on a fielder's choice, while Kohtaro Shimada and Andrew Florek would both pick up RBI singles for Western New England. The Golden Bears would collect seven hits through the first four innings and eight runs overall to take an 8-0 lead after four innings. Elms would get on the board for the first time in the top of the sixth inning with a two-RBI double and RBI single from the Blazers seven and nine hitters, as Elms would cut into WNE's lead, trailing 8-3. Nate Acabchuk went the first 5.2 innings, giving up five hits and three runs while recording one strikeout in the game. The Golden Bears would get a run back in the bottom of the sixth when Aaron Cole picked up an RBI single to center field, giving WNE a 9-3 lead.

Western New England would rely on their bullpen to finish off the Blazers, as Liam Wallace would go the next inning and a third for Western New England, giving up just one hit to Elms. Kohtaro Shimada would record an RBI on Western New England's final run of the afternoon on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh inning, giving the Golden Bears a 10-3 lead. Robert Zawacki and David Vignapiano would close out the eighth and ninth innings for Western New England as the Golden Bears would take down Elms for the second time this season, grabbing the seven-run victory.

Inside the Lines:

• Nate Acabchuk picks up his first collegiate victory for Western New England, going 5.2 innings and giving up five hits and three runs to the Blazers.
• A trio of Golden Bears recorded two RBIs in the win, with Trey Young, Jack Loftus, and Kohtaro Shimada doing so to help WNE on offense.
• Liam Wallace made his first appearance of the season, going 1.1 innings, giving up just one hit, and tossing 23 pitches. Robert Zawacki made his second appearance this season, both coming against Elms, picking up a clean inning, throwing ten pitches.
• David Vignapiano tossed the ninth and shut down Elms, striking out two Blazers to win the game for the Golden Bears.
• WNE has now won three straight over Elms.

Up Next on the Schedule:

• The Golden Bears are back in action on Thursday, April 18, at 3:30 p.m. from Trelease Park to take on the Beacons of UMass-Boston.