SPRINGFIELD — There was an unofficial Post 81 reunion at Archie Allen Field on Wednesday.
Believe it or not, baseball season is officially underway, at least on the collegiate level. A quartet of Franklin County standouts, who have all contributed to Greenfield’s American Legion offering over the past few summers, got their spring seasons off and running in chilly but dry conditions. Host Springfield College rolled past Colby-Sawyer College, 17-3, in non-conference NCAA Division 3 season-opening action.
Former Frontier Regional standout Ben Arnold got some time on the mound in the opener for the Pride. The sophomore right-hander entered with a runner on base in the top of the sixth inning, but punched out Colby Sawyer’s Ian Turpel on a called strike three to escape the jam. Arnold came back for the seventh inning and closed things out, striking out three more batters to work around a lead-off single. Not bad for an opening day’s work.
“I was hoping to get into the game. I talked to Coach before the game, he told me I was probably going to get in so I was moving around, trying to get myself ready in case I was able to get in,” Arnold said afterward. “The velocity is definitely up. I think another year under my belt, seeing college hitters, that makes a difference. It’s not like high school, everyone hits one through nine up here.”
Colby Sawyer’s Liam Datres de la Blotier actually got his team on the board to open the game in the top of the first inning. The former Mohawk Trail Regional star doubled in his first at bat of the season, and eventually came around to score on a Jake Choiniere RBI single to make it a 1-0 game.
Datres de la Blotier was granted a redshirt season after breaking his collarbone early in 2019. That ended his senior campaign, but he said he is happy to have another chance to play college baseball.
“It’s great to be back,” the Shelburne Falls native said. “Couldn’t ask for a second chance like this. Not a lot of guys get that, so I’m really fortune and trying to make the most of it.”
The Pride (1-0) took control of the game after falling into the early hole. The hosts scored at least two runs in every inning, answering with a four-spot in the bottom of the first. The hosts pounded out 16 hits, led by Granby’s Noah Bleakley, who posted a three-hit, five-RBI outing.
Springfield went 20-17 a year ago, falling to MIT in the opening round of the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) tournament. Arnold, who also has Post 81 batterymate, Greenfield’s Colin Cloutier, as a college teammate this year after Cloutier made the club, said he’s hoping to step up his inning count after a freshman campaign that saw him strike out nine in 10⅔ innings. His four strikeouts in Wednesday’s win were a career high.
“As a freshman last year, got some pretty good innings but we don’t have a ton of guys returning in the pen so I’m hoping to get some more innings this year,” the Deerfield resident said.
The Franklin County connection on Colby-Sawyer also runs deep, as Datres de la Blotier is joined this year by Greenfield’s Hunter Campbell on the Chargers’ roster. The freshman infielder said he hopes to make an impact as the spring progresses.
“For me, this is my first year of college ball,” Campbell explained. “Excited to see kids who are the same caliber and better than me. Just looking to improve my game, get some playing time and hopefully we have some success this year.”
Colby-Sawyer went 7-28 a year ago. The club, which was picked seventh in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) preseason poll, hopes that Wednesday’s opener isn’t indicative of the season ahead. The Chargers head to Florida for a week of games beginning on Saturday.
“I think we’re going to stay competitive, hoping to win some games and make playoffs,” Datres de la Blotier said. “I think we have a good team. I don’t think we showed it here today. I’m looking forward to moving past this, excited for what we’ve got going.”
Springfield stays at home for a pair of doubleheaders over the weekend. The Pride host Western New England for two games on Saturday before welcoming Williams College for a double-dip on Sunday.