Early Runs Give WNEC a Win over Ithaca

#5 Western New England - 15, #2 Ithaca - 6

Farmingdale, N.Y. - Seven runs in the first three innings gave #5 Western New England (30-15) a comfortable lead, as they continued on for the 15-6 victory over second-seeded Ithaca (29-9). The Golden Bears stay in the winners bracket and play at 7:00 p.m. tomorrow night, against the winner of tonight's #3 Rensselaer / #4 Farmingdale game.

Senior Bryan Calzone (Bethel, Conn.) was awarded the win with plenty of help from his teammates, as they exploded for six runs in the top of the third. Calzone went six innings, allowing eight hits and three earned runs and striking out three. His record now stands at 9-2 this season.

WNEC opened their scoring with a run in the second inning off a single through the right side by sophomore Tony Trubia (Tolland, Conn.) for the 1-0 lead. The six-run third would feature hits from junior Justin Walz (Groton, Conn.), junior Steve Kearney (Glastonbury, Conn.), junior Joe Griglun (Southington, Conn.), sophomore Andrew Fatse (Hampden, Mass.) and sophomore Jason LeClerc (Chicopee, Mass.) to increase the advantage to 7-0.

Ithaca was able to get two runs back in the fourth, and one run in the sixth, but the Golden Bears kept scoring as they finished the game with 25 hits.

Walz finished the game going 4-for-7 with 2 RBI's. Trubia had a team-high 3 RBI's to go along with his three hits and two runs scored, while seven other players had multiple hits for WNEC.

Senior right hander Pete McDaniel (Gansevoort, N.Y.) was defeated for the first time this season (8-1) in 2.2 innings.

WNEC plays at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday night, while Ithaca will now face top-seeded Cortland in the first game on Thursday, May 14th at Noon.

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