March 19, 2010
Box Score
AUBURNDALE, FL - Junior second baseman Ryan Walsh (Newton, MA) knocked in two of three runs on the day in the seventh inning to give the University of Massachusetts Boston baseball team a 4-3 lead it would not relinquish in a victory over McDaniel College today at Lake Myrtle Park in Auburndale, FL in the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational. The Beacons improve to 6-2 to match the best start in school history, equaling success of the first eight games of the 2000 and 2002 campaigns. Head Coach Brendan Eygabroat (Rochester, NY) earned his 95th career victory as the program's career win leader. The Green Terror fall to 4-4.
Sophomore Ty Buccetti (Wallingford, CT) led off the bottom of the seventh inning with an opposite field single to left followed by an infield single from classmate Mark McCormack (Shelton, CT) for UMass Boston. Junior shortstop Dan Noonan (Westport, MA) moved both runners up a base into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt to set up a chopping single over the third baseman by Walsh to give the Beacons a 4-3 edge. McDaniel looked to rally in the top of the ninth when junior third baseman Matthew Pace (Baltimore, MD) dumped a single into right field following a nine-pitch at-bat to lead off the frame. Freshman right fielder Patrick Christopher (Union Bridge, NJ) then reached by being hit by a pitch after squaring around for a sacrifice bunt and junior Chris Longo (Monroe, NY) came through with a pinch-single to right field to load the bases with no outs. UMass Boston sophomore closer Matt Young (Colchester, CT) struck out the next batter on three pitches. Young induced the next hitter into a ground ball to second base as part of a double play attempt, but the runner at first was safe and it looked as if the game would be tied. Fortunately for the Beacons, the runner at first was subsequently called out as a result of an interference call on the runner at second base to end the game.
UMass Boston got on the board first when Buccetti reached on an error to lead off the third inning and went to third on a double to right center by McCormack, where he later scored on a sacrifice fly to left field by Walsh. The Green Terror answered with a pair of runs in the fourth, taking advantage of an error. Pace knocked in a run with a single to right field and Christopher followed with an RBI single of his own to give them a 2-1 margin. McDaniel tacked on another run in the fifth when senior catcher Ray Hart (Cheverly, MD) cracked a leadoff double down the right field line and later scored on a double play for a 3-1 lead. The Beacons got the run back in the bottom of the inning when Buccetti singled through the right side, McCormack followed with his second double of the day to right center and junior first baseman Connor Reinfurt (Manchester, NH) later plated Buccetti with a sacrifice fly to center field to pull them to within 3-2.
Senior starting pitcher Danny Gomez (East Boston, MA) earned a no-decision, going six and a third innings, while allowing three runs (one earned) on five hits and three walks to go with five strikeouts for UMass Boston, before yielding to winning pitcher Tony Damon (San Bruno, CA). Damon improved to 2-0 after tossing an inning and two-thirds of shutout ball on two hits, while striking out one. Young picked up his second save, yielding one hit and fanning a batter in an inning of work. Senior right-hander Brian Rosato (Narvon, PA) was saddled with the loss to fall to 0-2 for the Green Terror, going seven innings and allowing four runs (three earned) on eight hits and a walk to go with five strikeouts.
Walsh finished 1-2 with a walk and a stolen base for the Beacons, while McCormack went 4-4 with a pair of doubles, a run scored and a stolen base. Buccetti picked up two hits in three at-bats and scored three of the team's four runs. Pace and Christopher led McDaniel with each picking up two hits and knocking in a run.
UMass Boston will be in action again tomorrow when it takes on Bowdoin College at 1:30 p.m. in Auburndale, FL at Lake Myrtle Park, while the Green Terror are in action again on Wednesday, March 23 when they travel to Carlisle, PA for a 3:30 p.m. game with Dickinson College.
