SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (April 24, 2025) – After leading for most of the game, the Western New England baseball team would give up three runs in the top of the ninth inning as the visiting Blazers of Elms College would scratch their way past the Golden Bears with a stunning 7-6 victory on Thursday afternoon from Trelease Park in non-conference action. 

Records:

• Western New England: 19-12
• Elms College: 9-20

How It Happened:

Western New England would see Connor Flynn get the start on Thursday afternoon in non-conference action and would begin the inning with a walk to A.J. Cook, the Blazers leadoff hitter. Cook would quickly be off the base paths after Antonio Galizia would catch the Elms graduate student stealing. Flynn would get into more trouble after WNE would make a throwing error at third base while a single in the infield would put runners on the corner with two outs. Flynn would escape the damage, getting his first strikeout of the game to end the top of the inning. For the first time this season, Leo Paragarino led off in the order and would come up with a soaring double to left center field but WNE would not be able to bring in the runner, striking out twice and grounding out as the first inning stayed scoreless. Neither team could accomplish much in the second inning as the game stayed tied at zero with both teams coming up with two hits after two. Connor Slifer would enter
the game for WNE in the top of the third inning and would not give up any hits but did put two runners on base, walking one and hitting another with a pitch but would escape the inning on a grounder to shortstop to end the inning. 

The Golden Bears would get their bats to come alive in the bottom of the third inning, plating two runs to take a 2-0 lead. The Golden Bears would go down early with two quick outs on a double play turned by Elms but an RBI single by Ryan Montini and an RBI double by Connor Cowern would get WNE on the board with two outs to take the two-run lead. Elms would load the bases in the top of the fourth off Jayden Downing as Downing would give up a single and two walks but would get a strikeout to end the inning unscathed. Elms would come alive and score four times in the top of the sixth inning off WNE's Ryan Bulger, scoring once on a passed ball while a big fly from EC's Cameron Watkins would give the Blazers a 4-2 lead. 

Western New England would come around to score again in the bottom seventh after Ryan Montini would take a four pitch walk, followed by an RBI triple by Corey Kilroy. Greg Nivison would get in on the hit parade that was the bottom of the seventh for WNE, coming up with an RBI double down the left field line to tie the game at four. Antonio Galizia would get under a ball and fly out to center field but would score a run, giving Western New England their lead back, taking a 5-4 edge. Corey Kilroy would add another extra base hit for WNE in the bottom of the eighth to extend their lead by another run, leading 6-4 heading into the final three outs of the game. The final three out of the game would not come in the top of the ninth as the Blazers would storm back for three runs in the top of the inning to stun Western New England and complete the comeback off Andrew Melone, who gave up three hits and three runs, tossing 35 pitches in the inning. WNE would go down without a hit in the bottom of the ninth, as Elms would stun the Golden Bears with a 7-6 win, defeating WNE for the first time in four tries. 

Inside the Lines:

• Corey Kilroy led WNE with two hits in three at-bats, collecting two RBIs overall. 
• The Golden Bears left 13 runners on base overall in the game. 
• WNE used six pitchers in the game. Lucas Kamoen was the most effective reliever, going two innings giving up just one hit. 
• Cameron Watkins had three RBIs for Elms to lead their way to victory. 

Up Next on the Schedule:

• The Golden Bears will look for a huge bounce back as they take on Suffolk University in Conference of New England play on Sunday, April 27 beginning at 12:00 PM.