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Box Score 2 PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. – In their first two games of the 2015 campaign, baseball (0-2) faced two undefeated nationally-ranked teams in No. 31 Heidelberg College (6-0) and No. 17 Baldwin Wallace University (6-0) at South County Regional Park to kickoff their 2015 Snowbird Classic.
In perhaps their toughest spring trip schedule in program history, the Beacons saw a lot of potential from almost an entirely new line-up. In the opener, sophomore All-Conference selection Daniel Mantoni (Northbridge, Mass.) put together an impressive pitching performance, only to have it erased by a late comeback by Heidelberg.
GAME ONE – UMass Boston 7, Heidelberg College 8 (10 inns.)
The Beacons saw a 7-1 lead erased over the final two innings, and with an RBI single in the bottom of the 10th Heidelberg College edged the Beacons by the final of 8-7. Mantoni allowed just three hits and the one run through the first six innings.
Unfortunately a slew of errors over the final three innings proved to back breaker for UMass Boston. A total of nine errors, ruined a 14 hit day for the Beacons, as they looked to hand Heidelberg their first loss of the year.
Anthony Searles (Shelton, Conn.) had a big day at the plate and behind it, as the sophomore catcher finished 2-for 2-for-3, with two doubles, two runs scored, and two walks. His first hit of the year gave UMass a 1-0 lead following a huge RBI double.
Senior Chris Adams (Whitman, Mass.) also made his only appearance at the plate count as he drove in a pair of runs on an RBI double to right center in the top of the seventh to make it 7-1 Beacons. Heidelberg would then take advantage of a dropped foul ball, to cut UMB's lead to two following a four run eighth. They would then tie the game on a two-run RBI single in the ninth to force the extra frames.
On the hill, Mantoni allowed just the one run, unearned, on two hits. He also had three strikeouts, and just two walks. Of the eight runs scored in the loss, only three were earned, with freshman Tyler Barre (Lake Worth, Fla.) getting the loss in the 10th.
GAME TWO – UMass Boston 0, Baldwin Wallace University 4
A four run bottom of the third proved to be the deciding inning as the undefeated Yellowjackets held on for the 4-0 victory. The Beacons bats were quiet during the nightcap as they managed just five hits, all singles, in the loss.
Senior lefty Kyle Szatrowski (Agawam, Mass.) was handed the loss after allowing eight of Baldwin Wallace's nine hits, and allowed all four runs. He would manage three strikeouts, two of which were looking. In relief freshman Steve Witkowski (Pittsfield, Mass.) recorded his first collegiate strikeout, against preseason All-American Kyle Chontos.
The Beacons return to action tomorrow morning when they face 16th ranked Marietta College at 9:30 at Charlotte High School. They will then face Muskingum University at 1 p.m. at South County Regional Park.
