April 8, 2009
Box Score
WALTHAM, MA - Sophomore third baseman Dan Noonan (Westport, MA) collected three hits and knocked in three runs and sophomore starting pitcher Andrew LeBrun (Stoneham, MA) struck out eight and did not allow an earned run over six innings to lead the University of Massachusetts Boston baseball team over visiting Framingham State College, 14-7, tonight at Yetten Field in Waltham, MA. The Beacons improve to 7-14 on the season, while the Rams fall to 5-15.
Run scoring doubles from sophomore second baseman Ryan Walsh (Newton, MA) and sophomore catcher Tim Fontaine (Worcester, MA) along with a sacrifice fly from Noonan gave UMass Boston a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Framingham State got a run back in the second on a sacrifice fly from sophomore second baseman George Schreiner (Valley Stream, NY) to cut the deficit to 3-1, but the Beacons scored five more times in the third to take an 8-1 advantage. Junior left fielder Drew Tambling (Sterling, MA) keyed the inning with a three-run triple to right field and later stole home on the back end of a double steal. Freshman center fielder Mark McCormack (Shelton, CT) capped the scoring in the inning with an RBI ground out to second.
UMass Boston tacked on two more runs in the fourth thanks to a run-scoring triple by Noonan, who later scored on an error to give the home team a 10-1 cushion. The Rams put another run on the board in the fifth when junior left fielder Dave Leach (Chelmsford, MA) worked a two-out walk, stole second and came around to score on a single to right by sophomore right fielder Steven Tramontozzi (Watertown, MA) to make it 10-2. The Beacons took a double-digit lead with three runs in the sixth for a 13-2 advantage, fueled by an RBI double from Noonan and a run-producing single off the bat of sophomore shortstop Anibal Mendez (Lawrence, MA).
UMass Boston looked to be in total control heading into the seventh, but Framingham State struck for five runs in the inning, chipping away with a sacrifice fly by Tramontozzi and a run-scoring single from sophomore designated player J.J. Sorensen (Westerly, RI) that resulted in two runs with an error on the play to pull the Rams to within 13-5. Sophomore catcher Sean Callahan-Montague (Watertown, MA) capped the inning with a two-run single to cut the deficit to 13-, but that would be all the scoring for the visitors. The Beacons responded with the final run of the contest in the bottom of the frame on a sacrifice fly from senior designated hitter Eric Salvador (Middleboro, MA).
Noonan finished a homer short of the cycle and scored three runs for UMass Boston, while Walsh banged out four hits in six at-bats to go with two runs and an RBI. Tambling finished with a pair of hits and three RBI, while Fontaine collected a pair of doubles on the night.
Leach led Framingham State with three hits and a pair of runs scored from the leadoff spot, while Tramontozzi smacked two hits and drove in a pair of runs.
LeBrun's strikeout total was a career-high for the southpaw as he registered his first collegiate victory to improve to 1-3 on the season and allowed just two hits in addition to five walks for the Beacons. Sophomore reliever Ryan Murphy (Pembroke, MA) threw two and two-thirds innings of scoreless three-hit relief and walked a batter to close out the game for UMB. Sophomore starting hurler Jason Hutchinson (Kingston, MA) (0-1) suffered the loss for the Rams, allowing seven runs (six earned) on seven hits and a walk, while striking out one in two innings of work. Sophomore lefty Bart Venza (East Rockaway, NY) and junior left-hander Josue Almodovar (Holyoke, MA) each threw a scoreless inning of relief for Framingham State as well.
UMass Boston will be in action again on Thursday, April 9 when it returns to Waltham, MA to take on Lasell College in a road game played at Brandeis University at 7:00 p.m., while the Rams host Massachusetts Maritime Academy in a doubleheader starting at 2:30 p.m. on April 10.
