May 1, 2021 - Springfield, Mass. - The Springfield College baseball program battled their way to a pair of victories over Emerson in a New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) doubleheader at Archie Allen Field on Saturday. The Pride cruised to an 8-1 victory in the opener before rallying late in the second game of the twinbill for an 8-6 triumph.

The victories evened the Pride's conference record to 3-3 on the season as it now stands at 3-5 overall. The setbacks dropped Emerson to 1-9. 

For the latest on Springfield College Athletics, follow the Pride on social media on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Fans can also download the Springfield "Front Row" mobile app, powered by PrestoSports, on iTunes and the Android Market. 

Game One - Springfield 8, Emerson 1

The Pride erupted for 15 hits as it raced out to a 6-0 lead through three innings to coast to the conference win. Noah Bleakley (Granby, Mass.) allowed just three hits in five innings of work on the mound, while Michael Barrett (Longmeadow, Mass.) and Jack Simonetty (Wappinger Falls, N.Y.) each produced three hits. 

In the first inning, Springfield used four hits to plate a pair of runs, as Barrett led things off with a single and later stole second to get into scoring position.  With two outs, Bleakley blasted a triple to right to drive in Barrett before Nick Fazio (Kings Park, N.Y.) ripped an infield single to score Bleakley to put the Pride in command early.

Springfield tacked on another run in the second, as Barrett started things off with a two-out double and would score on a run-scoring single by Andrew McCarty (Meriden, Conn.).  The Pride needed just two hits to score three runs in the third, as Fazio came around to score after being hit by a pitch to lead off the inning on a single by Simonetty.  Barrett would again come up big for the Pride with a two-out, two-run double to center that scored Joe Traversa (Pittsfield, Mass.) and Ryan Smith (Millis, Mass.).  

Emerson strung together a pair of singles to start of the fifth, and Rory Tettemer's two-out single to center scored Jake Hatch for the visitors first run of the afternoon.  Springfield answered right back with two runs in the bottom half of the frame, as Jack Cooney (Pittsfield, Mass.) registered the 100th hit of his career with a two-out, two-run single to center to push the Pride's lead to 8-1. 

Game 2 - Springfield 8, Emerson 6

In the second game, Brendan Kirck (Hampden, Conn.) started on the mound and tossed four innings, allowing on earned run off three hits while striking out three batters. John Daley (Huntington, Mass.) was credited with the victory for the Pride as he pitched the final two innings in relief. Cadin Maynard (Waterford, Conn.) recorded three hits while Nick Fazio, Ryan Smith, and Conor Santoianni (Stormville, N.Y.) all collected a pair of hits on the day. 

Emerson jumped out to a 2-1 lead through three innings before the Pride delivered a pair of runs in the fourth of the bats of Jack Cooney and Noah Bleakley to open up a 4-3 edge.   Springfield tacked on a run in the fifth as Jack Simonetty reached on an error and move to second on a wild pitch before eventually scoring on a groundout by Noah Diamond (Glastonbury, Conn.). 

The Lions would not go away, responding with two runs in the sixth on a run-scoring triple and groundout to knot the game up at four, only to have Santoianni rip a one-out single to right to score Maynard to put the Pride on top, 5-4. 

With two runners on in the eighth, Thai Morgan blasted a double to score a run and would later score to give the visitors an one-run advantage heading into the bottom half the frame.  The Pride would answer though, as Fazio delivered a one-out single to centerfield to score Smith, who was hit by a pitch to start the stanza.  Jack Simonetty then drove in the eventual game-winning run with a hard-hit single to left, and with the bases loaded, Andrew McCarty draw a walk to force in Joe Penkala (Warren, R.I.) for an insurance run.