BUZZARDS BAY, Mass -- The Buccaneers and Trailblazers opened their three-game conference series on Saturday afternoon on Taylor's Point with each team taking a game. MCLA won game one, 5-4, and the Buccaneers controlled game two, 5-2.

Game One

The Basics

Final: Trailblazers 5, Buccaneers 4

Records: MCLA (5-13, 2-3)

               Maritime (10-13, 3-4)

On The Mound

MCLA: Garrett Brunette (W, 2-2): 2.2 IP | 2 H | 0 R | 0 BB | 0 K

           Clarence Givhans (Sv, 3): 1 IP | 0 H | 0 R | 1 BB | 0 K

Maritime: Jay Loeffler (L, 1-2): 1.2 IP | 4 H | 1 R | 1 ER | 1 BB | 2 K

                Nolan Kennedy: 5 IP | 6 H | 4 R | 3 ER | 4 BB | 5 K

Inside The Numbers

Maritime

• Max Hefner had three hits in the game including a double. Tucker Leslie and Evan Vieira each had two hits, Leslie added a double. 
• Michael Logiudice and Aidan Weir both had one hit, Logiudice a double and Weir a triple.
• Leslie, Hefner, and Weir all drove in one run.
• Lerslie scored twice and Logiudice and Weir scored once.
• Leslie and Brett Velzis each had a stolen base in the game.

MCLA

• Edison Galan, Clarence Givhan, and Josh Bologh all had two hits. Rob Correia, Ty Mazzeo, Chris Vargan, and Matt Damon all had one hit. Givhan had a home run, Galan and Bologh each recorded doubles.
• Givhans drove in two runs and Mazzeo and Vargas plated once apiece.
• Five different Trailblazers scored in the game. 
• Mazzeo and Givhans had two stolen bases each and Galan and TJ Platt each tallied one.

How It Happened

The Trailblazers jumped out to an early lead in game one that certainly helped them down the stretch. Givhans homered in the first inning to make it 2-0 MCLA. Later in the inning, Varga singled to left and Bologh scored after he doubled. A Buccaneers miscue later in the inning allowed a fourth run to come across and MCLA led 4-0 after a half inning.

The Buccaneers cut into the deficit in the bottom of the second scoring three times. Weir tripled scoring Logiudice. Leslie followed that with a double that brought in Weir and Hefner singled to left center to score Leslie from second base. The Bucs trailed by one after two innings, 4-3. 

After a scoreless third, the Bucs tied the game in the bottom of the fourth on another Hefner hit. An error by the MCLA center fielder allowed Leslie to score and it was a tie ball game, 4-4, at Hendy. 

The fifth and sixth were scoreless as the relievers settled in. In the top of the seventh, Mazzeo singled for MCLA and drove in the pinch runner, Platt to give the Trailblazers a 5-4 lead. In the bottom of the seventh, Givhans came in to pitch for MCLA and allowed one base runner but sat down the Bucs and earned his third save of the season and the win for MCLA, 5-4.

Game Two

The Basics

Final: Buccaneers 5, Trailblazers 2

Records: Maritime (11-13, 4-4)

               MCLA (5-14, 2-4)

On The Mound

Maritime: Chase Dwight (W, 2-1): 5 IP | 2 H | 2 R | 2 ER | 6 BB | 4 K

                 Brenden Baiardi (Sv, 3): 2 IP | 1 H | 0 R | 0 BB | 3 K

MCLA: Aidan Brett (L, 0-2) 3.2 IP | 5 H | 3 R | 3 ER | 3 BB | 6 K

Inside The Numbers

Maritime

• Tucker Leslie, Brett Velzis, AJ Pietrafesa, Michael Logiudice, Michael Estrada, Jake Quillen, and Aidan Weir all had one hit. 
• Velzis has a home run and Weir a double to round out the extra base hits for the Buccaneers.
• Leslie drove in two runs in the game and Velzis and Weir drove in one. 
• Velzis scored twice, Logiudice, Estrada, and Quillen all scored once.
• Estrada recorded the only stolen base of the game for Maritime.

MCLA

• Joshua Bissaillon had two hits in the game. Edison Galan had one base knock.
• Bissaillon drove in two runs for the Trailblazers.
• Chris Vargas and Ty Mazzeo scored the two runs.
• Galan recorded two stolen bases and Brady Hamel had one.

How It Happened

Velzis set the ton of the game in the bottom of the first with a solo home run, his third of the season and program leading 19th of his career. The Bucs led 1-0 after one.

In the top of the second, MCLA scored their only runs on a Bissaillon single that scored Vargas and Mazzeo. The Trailblazers led 2-1. In the bottom of the second, Maritime took the lead back for good on a two-RBI single to center for Leslie that scored Quillen and Logiudice. 

Dwight continued to shut down the MCLA line up and the offense gave him some run support in the bottom of the fifth. Vieira reached on an error and Velzis was able to score from second base. Maritime led 4-2 after five.

Baiardi came in for the two inning save and struck out three over two innings. The Bucs added a run in the bottom of the sixth to give Maritime a three-run, 5-2 lead. Baiardi struck out the side in the seventh in order and the Bucs earned the 5-2 win and a split of the doubleheader.

What's Next

The teams meet at Hendy Field again on Sunday with each team looking to win the series. First pitch is scheduled for 12pm.