Springfield, Mass. – April 30, 2024 – The Springfield College baseball team dropped a 9-4 decision to Coast Guard on Tuesday afternoon in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) action on Archie Allen Field.

Coast Guard, which appeared in the initial NCAA Division III Region I rankings, improved to 22-9 overall and to 11-3 in NEWMAC play, while Springfield fell to 15-19, 2-12.

Carson Cho led the Coast Guard offense with three hits and two RBI, while a total of six Bears batters notched two or more hits on the day and Parker Madden posted three RBI for Coast Guard in the win. Jacob Wagner (Westfield, Mass.) had a team-high two hits, while Nate Garafalo (Kinderhook, N.Y.) brought home two of Springfield's four runs with his first collegiate round tripper.

The Bears scored first in the top of the second as an errant throw on a sacrifice bunt gave Coast Guard a 1-0 edge. Springfield was able to produce three of its four runs on the day in the bottom of the third. Wagner singled up the middle, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on a knock by Mark Nofri (Naugatuck, Conn.). Then with two outs, Garafalo launched his first collegiate home run over the fence in right for a 3-1 lead.

Coast Guard chipped away with one run in the top of the fifth before scoring four in the top of the sixth for a 6-3 advantage. Luke Percifield roped a bases clearing three-run triple to left center before an RBI knock by Cho accounted for the Bears four spot in the sixth.

An RBI double by Joseph Traversa (Pittsfield, Mass.) gave one back to the Pride, but Coast Guard scored twice in the eighth and once in the ninth for the 9-4 final.

Over the final 6.1 innings of the game, the Coast Guard pitching staff allowed just two hits, one run and struck out eight Springfield batters. Tyler Michalek (1-1) earned the win out of the pen for Coast Guard on 2.1 innings one hit and four strikeouts.

Springfield will return to the diamond with a non-conference tilt with Dean College tomorrow at home beginning at 3:30 pm.

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