Springfield, Mass. – March 17, 2024 – Springfield College senior Joseph Traversa (Pittsfield, Mass.) hit the game-tying grand slam in game one and the walk-off single in game two as the Pride swept Elms College, 8-5, and 4-3 (9 Inn.) in a non-conference baseball doubleheader this afternoon on Archie Allen Field.

Springfield improved to 8-6 and will have a week off before heading to MCLA for another non-conference set on Saturday, March 23, while Elms College dropped to 8-7 this season.

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Game One: Springfield 8, Elms 5

Traversa went 3-for-4 with a grand slam in game one, while Ryan Sorgi (Braintree, Mass.) went 2-for-2 with two RBI, two walks and a run and Andrew McCarty (Meriden, Conn.) added two hits and two runs for the Pride in the opener. Nate Kelleher-Mochak (Florence, Mass.) earned the win (2-1) in relief as he pitched four innings, struck out four and walked two without surrendering a hit for Springfield.

Elms took an early lead as a bases clearing double in the top of the first by Seamus Higgins and a fielder's choice ground out by Tyler Galenski gave the Blazer a 4-0 advantage. Adam Crocker (Windsor, Nova Scotia) began the second with a single before Andrew Sweet (Charlton, Mass.) was hit by a pitch and McCarty walked to load the bags for the Pride. Traversa stepped to the plate and launched a grand slam over the fence in right to even the score at four.

Springfield and Elms traded single runs in the third frame before an RBI ground out by Michael Lepere (Beacon, N.Y.) and an RBI double by Sorgi gave Springfield a 7-5 edge through four. Sorgi came through with for Springfield in the bottom of the sixth as his second RBI double of the game plated Michael Barrett (Longmeadow, Mass.) to account for the 8-5 final.

Over the final four innings, Kelleher-Mochak allowed just two base runners on solo walks in the fifth and the six to earn his second win of the spring.

Game Two: Springfield 4, Elms 3 (9 Innings)

Springfield produced 11 hits in the night cap as Lepere led the way for the Pride with three knocks. Both Cole Zalegowski (North Haven, Conn.) and Jacob Wagner (Westfield, Mass.) added two hits apiece and combined for three RBI in the sweep. Max Giacco (Meriden, Conn.) came into a tie game out of the pen and earned the win (2-0) as he allowed just one hit in seven at-bats to give Springfield a chance to walk it off.

A two-run double to the gap by Wagner plated both Zalegowski and Crocker for an early 2-0 lead in the second frame before an RBI knock by Zalegowski in the third extended Springfield's edge to three. Blake Roberge (Warwick, R.I.) was great in his start as he tossed four innings of three hit ball and struck out three, but ultimately didn't earn the decision.

Elms scored three times to even the game in the top of the sixth on an RBI double by George Chaya, Jr. and two-run error by Springfield. With two outs in the top of the sixth, a hit by AJ Cook to center sent Griffen Levesque to the plate, but he was cut down on a throw from Lepere in center to keep the game even at three.

Elms had to go to the pen after eight innings, despite a great effort from starter Henry Rondon. Camden Murphy came in for the Blazers and loaded the bases on a walk, error and hit by pitch before Traversa singled through the left side to give Springfield the 4-3 walk off win.