April 18, 2009
Box Score
WALTHAM, MA - Senior designated hitter Eric Salvador (Middleboro, MA) went 5-8 with a pair of doubles and four runs batted in to lead the University of Massachusetts Boston baseball team to a Little East Conference twinight doubleheader sweep over visiting Western Connecticut State University, winning the first game, 4-3, and the nightcap, 12-2, today at Yetten Field in Waltham, MA. The Beacons school-record streak of scoring double digit runs ended at nine games, but they have won five of their last six and nine of their last 11 contests to improve to 13-16 overall and 5-3 in LEC play, while the Colonials fall to 11-16 and 3-4. The start time of game one was delayed three hours and forty-five minutes due to transportation difficulties for Western Connecticut.
UMass Boston snapped a 3-3 tie in the bottom of the sixth when Salvador led off with a double down the right field line, later went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a ground out to second base off the bat of junior left fielder Drew Tambling (Sterling, MA) to give the Beacons the eventual winning margin.
The Colonials jumped on top right away with three runs in the first inning, including a pair on a two-run double to left field by senior first baseman Matt Perper (New City, NY). Senior center fielder Ryan Koschmieder (Groton, CT) followed with a run-scoring single to right field to make it 3-0, but that would be all the scoring for the visitors as UMass Boston starting pitcher Andrew LeBrun (Stoneham, MA) allowed just one hit over the next eight innings and retired the final 13 batters he faced in order. The Beacons got a run back in the first inning when sophomore second baseman Ryan Walsh (Newton, MA) sent a one-out single to right center field and later scored on a ground out to first base by sophomore catcher Tim Fontaine (Worcester, MA). UMass Boston knotted the game at 3-3 with a pair of runs in the third, courtesy of a two-run single to left center from Salvador.
LeBrun (2-3) pitched the first complete game of his career, allowing three runs on four hits and five walks, while striking out a career-high nine batters to earn the win for UMB, while sophomore southpaw Billy Armstrong (Moodus, CT) was saddled with the loss for West Conn after yielding four runs (three earned) on six hits and three walks to go with six strikeouts in eight complete innings.
The Colonials got on the board first in game two when they loaded the bases to set up an RBI single from Perper, but a double play ended the threat and they had to settle for a 1-0 edge. UMass Boston wasted no time responding with five runs in the bottom of the frame and tacked on two more in the second and four in the third to take an early 11-1 advantage. Fontaine and Salvador each collected run-scoring singles in the first in addition to a sacrifice fly from junior third baseman Arthur Lauzier (Fall River, MA), a bases loaded walk drawn by sophomore first baseman Connor Reinfurt (Manchester, NH) and an RBI ground out by freshman right fielder Ty Buccetti (Wallingford, CT). Sophomore shortstop Dan Noonan (Westport, MA) was hit by a pitch during the inning to eclipse the 1998 school-record of 14 held by Joe Barresi. Noonan was plunked again in the second inning to increase his record-total to 16 and Lauzier followed with a walk to set up a two-run single by Tambling to give UMB a 7-1 margin. Walsh, Salvador, Noonan and Lauzier all contributed in a four-run third for the Beacons with run-producing singles each to give them a 10-run lead. Western Connecticut cut the deficit to 11-2 on an RBI ground out by sophomore third baseman Jeff Gordon (Milford, CT) in the sixth inning. UMass Boston ended the game early when junior first baseman Jeff Outzen (San Mateo, CA) cracked a two-out triple and Walsh later hit a towering single to right center field to give the home team a 12-2 lead and end the contest due to the 10-run mercy rule.
Junior left-hander Mike Andriano (Massapequa, NY) (2-2) earned the victory for the Beacons, giving up two runs on six hits and five walks, while fanning eight in seven innings or work, while junior Steve Bainer (Prospect, CT) (1-4) took the loss for the Colonials, allowing 10 runs (eight earned) on six hits and three walks to go with a strikeout in two and a third innings of action.
Freshman shortstop Collin Wade (Colchester, CT) and Perpin each collected two hits on the day for West Conn, while Walsh was 4-7 with five runs score and two RBI and Lauzier, Tambling and Fontaine each had two hits and multiple RBI for UMB. Freshman center fielder Mark McCormack's (Shelton, CT) season-long hitting streak was stopped at 13 straight following the first game.
UMass Boston will be in action again tomorrow when it travels to Keene, NH for a Little East Conference make-up game with Keene State College at noon, while Western Connecticut hosts University of Southern Maine in a noon twinbill also tomorrow.
