April 8, 2010
Box Score
WALTHAM, MA - The University of Massachusetts Boston baseball team scored six runs in the fourth inning to break open a 1-1 game, en-route to a 9-3 victory over visiting Lasell College tonight at Yetten Field in Waltham, MA. The Beacons improve to 10-9 on the season, while the Lasers fall to 2-14.
Junior second baseman Ryan Walsh (Newton, MA) led off the bottom of the fourth with a single and advanced into scoring position ahead of a double to right field off the bat of UMass Boston junior catcher Tim Fontaine (Worcester, MA). Sophomore third baseman Mike Mattei (Spencer, MA) reached on an error as both runners scored to give the Beacons a 3-1 margin. Junior first baseman Connor Reinfurt (Manchester, NH) crushed a double to left center to score Mattei, but was thrown out trying to stretch the hit to a triple. Sophomore right fielder Pat Lynch (Middletown, RI) worked a walk and freshman shortstop Matt Consiglio (Southbury, CT) followed with a high pop on the infield that no Lasell player could handle as it dropped in for the rookie's first collegiate hit and put runners on the corners. Consiglio then stole second and Lynch scored on the back end of the double steal to make it a 5-1 game for UMass Boston. Senior left fielder Drew Tambling (Sterling, MA) then plated Consiglio with a single to right center and promptly put himself 90 feet away from home with successive steals of second and third base. Sophomore center fielder Mark McCormack (Shelton, CT) drew a walk to put runners on the corners. The bases on balls proved important as Tambling completed his ring of thefts when he stole home on a pickoff throw to first base to give him three in the inning and the Beacons a 7-1 advantage.
UMass Boston tacked on two more runs in the seventh when McCormack drew a leadoff walk, stole second and came around to score on a Walsh double to left center. Walsh later scored on a two-out single to left center by Mattei to cap the home team's scoring and give it a 9-1 lead. The Lasers got the runs back in the eighth when a dropped fly ball to left off the bat of sophomore Angelo Colucci (Stoneham, MA) put him at first and sophomore right fielder Mike Mahoney (Rockland, MA) on third base. Junior James O'Neill (San Diego, CA) cashed in on the miscue with an RBI single to shortstop and Colucci later crossed home plate on a single to center by freshman third baseman Bobby Stachura (Middletown, CT) to cut the deficit to 9-3, but that would be as close as Lasell would get.
The Beacons got on the board first when Mattei singled to right field in the second inning and later advanced to third on a wild pitch and then scored on another wild pitch for a 1-0 edge. The Lasers quickly answered in the third when sophomore catcher Matt Mahoney (Rockland, MA) worked a leadoff walk following a full count and was brought home on a double to left center by sophomore second baseman Josh Sullivan (Rockland, MA) to knot the score at 1-1.
Freshman right-hander Tom Cole (Mattapoisett, MA) earned his first collegiate victory with five innings of strong pitching for UMass Boston, allowing one run on three hits and four walks, while striking out six. Classmate Patrick Noble (Somerville, MA) followed with three solid innings, allowing two unearned runs on three hits, while fanning three. Sophomore Matt Young (Colchester, CT) shut the door for the Beacons with a one-hit ninth. Sophomore southpaw Matt Pitts (Stoneham, MA) suffered the defeat for Lasell, yielding seven runs (three earned) on 10 hits and two walks, while setting down four on strikes in five and two-thirds innings of work.
Reinfurt finished the night with a pair of doubles and an RBI for the Beacons, while Mattei collected two base knocks, scored twice and drove in a pair. Tambling was 2-3 with an RBI, a run scored an three stolen bases.
Sullivan led the Lasers with four of their seven hits in as many at-bats and knocked in a run.
UMass Boston will be in action again on Friday, April 9 when it travels to Bridgewater, MA to take on Bridgewater State College at 3:00 p.m. in a game that has been postponed twice. Lasell will host Saint Joseph's College in a noon doubleheader on April 10.
