March 16, 2010
Box Score
AUBURNDALE, FL - Sophomore center fielder Mark McCormack (Shelton, CT) collected three hits, including a game-tying double as part of a four-run ninth inning to lead the University of Massachsuetts Boston baseball team over Ramapo College, 9-7, today in Auburndale, FL at Lake Myrtle Park in the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational. The Beacons improve to 2-2 on the season, while the Roadrunners fall to 3-2.
Senior left fielder Drew Tambling (Sterling, MA) led off the ninth with a flare to center field and advanced to second on a ground out and moved to third on a wild pitch for UMass Boston. Sophomore right fielder Ty Buccetti (Wallingford, CT) drew a walk to put runners on the corners. Junior Jose Roman Santos (Tenares, DR) pinch ran for Buccetti and stole second base to put the tying run at second base. Tambling continued his circuit around the bases, scampering home on another wild pitch to cut the deficit to 7-6, before McCormack crushed a double off the top of the right center field fence to plate Santos and knot the contest. McCormack raced to third on a wild pitch and later scored the go-ahead run on a passed ball with two outs. Junior second baseman Ryan Walsh (Newton, MA) and classmate Connor Reinfurt (Manchester, NH) worked back-to-back walks and junior catcher Tim Fontaine (Worcester, MA) followed with an RBI single through the left side to give the Beacons two-run cushion at 9-7. Sophomore right-hander Matt Young (Colchester, CT) set down the side in order in the bottom of the ninth to earn his first collegiate save for UMass Boston.
Ramapo busted out of the gate with four runs in the bottom of the first frame when sophomore right fielder Daniel Mauriello (Monroe, NY) knocked in a run with a single, freshman designated hitter Christian Spurr (Warren, NJ) drove in two more with a double to right center and freshman left fielder Michael Hansford (Hillsborough, NJ) plated the fourth run with a single to left. The Beacons cut the margin in half with RBI ground outs from McCormack and junior shortstop Dan Noonan (Westport, MA) to make it 4-2. UMass Boston pulled even with two outs in the fourth with three straight hits when sophomore third baseman Mike Mattei (Spencer, MA) began the rally with a single to center, Tambling followed with a run-scoring triple to left center and sophomore designated hitter Nick Grassetti (Agawam, MA) tied the game at 4-4 with a single to left center.
The Roadrunners reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the fourth when junior second baseman Mark Ruggiero (Fairfield, NJ) and sophomore center fielder Joseph Della Serra (Cranford, NJ) drew back-to-back two-out walks to set up a run-scoring single to right by senior third baseman Joey Cacchiola (Union, NJ) for a 5-4 edge. The Beacons answered in the bottom of the frame when McCormack led off with a single through the right side, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on a single up the middle by Noonan to even the score at 5-5. Ramapo took a 7-5 lead in the fifth with a run on a double play and a double down the line off the bat of junior shortstop Rob Dimperio (Jackson, NJ) to plate the Roadrunners' seventh run.
Junior Tony Damon (San Bruno, CA) earned his first collegiate victory with four stellar innings of relief, allowing just one run on three hits, while striking out three for the Beacons. Cacchiola was saddled with the loss for Ramapo after the only batter he faced doubled and later scored the eventual winning run. Freshman PJ Cerreto (Paramus, NJ) pitched really well for the Roadrunners in relief, yielding two runs on one hit and a walk, while fanning three.
McCormack knocked in a pair of runs on the day, while Tambling and Grassetti each collected two hits and drove in a run for UMass Boston. Spurr led Ramapo, going 2-4 with a double and two runs batted in, while sophomore first baseman Dan Moreno (Cranford, NJ) was 2-5 with a run scored.
The Beacons will be in action again tomorrow when they take on Hamilton College at 11:30 a.m. in Leesburg, FL at Pat Thomas Stadium, while the Roadrunners play Endicott College at 3:30 p.m. in Winter Haven, FL.
