AUBURNDALE, Fla. -- MCLA senior left hander Bobby New of Pittsfield tossed a complete game shutout in the opener as the Trailblazers took game one from Purchase State, 3-0, in the RussMatt Invitational on Friday. The Panthers would come back to blank MCLA, 6-0, in the nightcap.

 

MCLA 3, Purchase 0

New (2-1) tossed a complete game shutout with 10 strikeouts to lead the Trailblazers to a game one victory the Panthers. He allowed just five hits and kept his hot streak going as he has allowed just one run over his last 15 innings of work.

 

MCLA broke into the scoring column in the third inning when Jeff Bink drove home Dillon Maxon with the games first run. The Trailblazers threatened for more, but Taconic graduate Austin Rachiele was thrown out at the plate to end the frame with MCLA up 1-0.

 

New was cruising through the middle innings and then the Trailblazers gave him some breathing room in the sixth inning. Antonio Archina drew a walk with the bases loaded for another run and when Drury graduate Logan Rumbolt successfully executed a squeeze play, MCLA led 3-0. 

 

Purchase threatened against New in the home seventh bringing the tying run to the plate, but the lefty induced a popout to end the game.

 

Rachiele had a pair of hits to lead the offense, but MCLA mustered just five hits in the contest.

 

Purchase 6, MCLA 0

Purchase's John Fitzgerald tossed a complete game shutout in game two allowing just three hits and striking out seven Trailblazers. He walked just two batters to earn the win.

 

Purchase got on the board against MCLA starter Brendan Kelly when Matthew Mulligan doubled home a run with two outs in the first inning for an early 1-0 advantage. The Panthers (4-2) eventually chased Kelly in the third inning when they would tack on two more runs, once again with two outs.

 

Jemal Betances drove home a run with a single and when Matthew Nilsen did the same, it was 3-0 Purchase.

 

They would add three more runs off Tyler Wade in the fourth inning to extend the lead to 6-0 and would not be threatened from there.

 

MCLA (3-4) mustered just three hits in the contest and struggled all day on offense. Rachiele continued his solid day with two of the three hits in the contest.

 

The Trailblazers are back in action Saturday in a twinbill against Hamilton.