DAVENPORT, Florida - The University of Maine at Farmington baseball team opened its trip to the RussMatt Invitational by splitting a doubleheader with Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. Farmington topped the Trailblazers in game one, 10-5, before dropping game two, 17-11, in a contest shortened due to weather.

Game One

After being no-hit and held scoreless for the first four innings of the game, the Beaver offense broke out in a big way in the bottom of the fifth, scoring six runs on just three hits to open up a 6-1 lead. Hayden Durrell (Madrid, Maine) was hit by a pitch to open the inning. Paul Vachon (Brookline, N.H.) reached on an error, and Colby Lewis (Blue Hill, Maine) followed by being hit by a pitch to load the bases. Senior third baseman Sam Parsell (Newington, Conn.) then delivered a two-run single to put Farmington ahead and record the Beavers' first hit of the game.

Matt Marquis (Monmouth, Maine) and Jameson Bloch (Attleboro, Mass.) each delivered one-out RBI singles to help extend the Beaver lead. Later in the inning, Tyler Rosa (Morgan Hill, Calif.) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, and then an RBI fielder's choice from Durrell made it 6-1.

Farmington got a great start from Bloch, who settled in after giving up a run quickly in the top of the first. Benjamin Jacob led off the game with a triple and was later chased home on a sacrifice fly from Roshan Warriar. Bloch kept the Trailblazers off the scoreboard again until the top of the sixth when he surrendered a leadoff home run to Joshua Bisaillon that made it a 6-2 game.

Farmington extended its lead in the bottom of the sixth, scoring four runs on two hits while taking advantage of more Trailblazer hit batters. Lewis led off the inning by being hit by a pitch. He was pinch run for by Jackson Murray (Bath, Maine), who stole second and then moved over to third on a wild pitch. Parsell then chased Murray home to pick up his third RBI of the day. Junior first baseman Brady Vincent (Auburn, Maine) delivered a two-run double to make it 9-2. Durrell then chased Vincent home with a single up the middle to make it 10-2.

MCLA scored three in the seventh, but it was not enough as the Beavers secured the 10-5 victory. Warriar delivered an RBI double while two runs came in to score on a Bisaillon single in the inning.

Bloch pitched 6 ? innings to pick up his first win of the season. He scattered nine hits, giving up four earned runs while striking out five. Offensively, Farmington had just five hits, but Parsell drove in three while Vincent and Durrell each finished with two RBIs.

Jacob, Warriar, and Bisaillon each had two hits to lead the way for MCLA. Warriar and Bisaillon each had two RBIs and scored a run while Jacob scored twice. Jake Jasminski was charged with the loss, giving up six runs on three hits and striking out two in 4 ? innings.

Game Two

The second game of the doubleheader saw a combined 28 runs as both teams' offenses broke out in a big way. Farmington struck first, scoring four in the top of the first. Ike Wrigley (Farmington, Maine) led off the game with a ground-rule double and then quickly scored on an RBI single from Bloch. After Vincent walked and Rosa reached on a fielder's choice that loaded the bases, Durrell lifted a sacrifice fly to center field that scored Bloch, and an error on the throw allowed Vincent to score. The next batter was Vachon, who laced a single that plated Rosa to make it 4-0.

The Trailblazers responded with three runs of their own in the bottom half of the first. Chris Vargas delivered an RBI single, and then Jake Jasminski plated two with a single to make it a one-run game.

First-year infielder Jackson Murray (Bath, Maine) led off the top of the second with a single, stole second, moved over to third on a sacrifice bunt, and then came in to score on a passed ball to make it a 5-3 game.

MCLA once again had an answer, getting the run back in the bottom half of the second inning. Clayton Dutfield led off with a single and was later chased home by Bisaillon to make it a one-run game again.

Vachon picked up his second RBI knock of the game, driving home Vincent, who had walked to lead off the third, with an RBI double down the line in left field.

Things started to get away from the Beavers in the third as MCLA plated four runs on four hits while also taking advantage of two Farmington errors. Joe Sardo opened the inning with a double and later scored on an error that made it a 6-5 game. Warriar followed with an RBI single to tie the game at six. Bisaillon added a sacrifice fly, and Vargas followed with an RBI single that gave the Trailblazers an 8-6 lead after three innings.

MCLA continued its offensive onslaught, scoring eight runs in the bottom of the fourth to crack the game wide open. Vargas plated two with a two-run double. William Whitcomb, Jacob, Warriar, and Jasminski all had RBI knocks in the inning. Sardo had an RBI hit-by-pitch, and Dariel Rodriguez hit a sacrifice fly to help the Trailblazers open up a 16-6 lead after four.

Farmington was able to cut its deficit in half, scoring five runs in the top of the fifth, all coming with two outs. Bloch delivered the first RBI knock, singling up the middle to score Camden Cook (Littleton, N.H.), who had pinch run earlier in the inning for Vachon. Vincent followed Bloch with a two-run single that made it a 16-9 game. After a Rosa walk, Durrell stayed hot, ripping a two-run double to the gap in left-center that pulled Farmington back within five.

Jasminski hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fifth to make it a 17-11 game. After Farmington got out of the inning, the game was called due to thunder in the area.

First-year starting pitcher Max Bryan (Walpole, Mass.) took the loss, going just 2 ? innings and surrendering eight runs (three earned) on 11 hits while striking out two and walking two. Vachon went a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate and drove in three to lead the way for the Beavers. Vincent and Bloch each chipped in with two hits. Bloch finished with two runs and two RBIs while Vincent piled up two RBIs and three runs scored.

For the Trailblazers, Mason Barcomb was credited with the win, going three innings while giving up six runs (four earned) on five hits and three walks while striking out four. Warriar went 4-for-5 with three runs scored and two RBIs to lead the MCLA offense. Vargas finished 3-for-4 with a double, four RBIs, and two runs scored. Jasminski chipped in with two hits and three RBIs.

UP NEXT

The Beavers will be back in action on Sunday with a doubleheader against Bard College. Game one's first pitch is scheduled for 4:45 PM.