2015 Little East Tournament Central
BOSTON, Mass. – After winning 12 of their last 14 games, baseball will now focus their attention on the 2015 Little East Conference Tournament, as they will begin their pursuit for their second conference title, as they take on Rhode Island College on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. at USM Baseball Field from the campus of the University of Southern Maine.
The Beacons enter this year's tournament as the fourth-seed and will face third-seeded Anchormen. The host Huskies of the University of Southern Maine will be the number one-seed, while the Corsairs of UMass Dartmouth locked-up the two-seed. Eastern Connecticut State University enters this year's tournament as the fifth seed, and the Colonials of Western Connecticut State University round-out the tournament field as the sixth seed.
This year's trip to the LEC tournament will mark the 11th straight appearance for head coach Brendan Eygabroat and his Beacons. In 2015, the Beacons put together one of their best seasons, since winning their first conference and regional titles in 2010. With a combined 22 victories, the 2015 edition of UMass Boston baseball ranks second all-time in wins in a season, while their nine (9-5) conference victories is a new program best.
IT HAS BEEN AWHILE
The last time the Beacons faced the Anchormen of Rhode Island College in the conference tournament was in the 2010 campaign. UMass, who was the fourth-seed that season, defeated RIC, the third seed, by the final of 11-0 to kick start what would become the most historic postseason run in program history. It was also that season that the Beacons and the Anchormen split their regular season doubleheader.
All-time the two squads have faced each other twice in Little East Conference tournament play. In their first meeting, RIC earned a 12-1 win in the 1999 tournament. The two squads have also faced each other once in the ECAC New England Tournament, with RIC earning a 12-1 win in 2006.
BEACONS LIGHTING IT UP
Since sweeping Keene State College on April 18, the Beacons have dropped just one conference game, a 17-10 loss to Southern Maine, and one non-conference game to Worcester State University. UMB swept both Plymouth State and Western Connecticut State to cap-off their nine-win conference record. They also beat regionally ranked Endicott College and St. Joseph's College to move into ninth in the region, in front of RIC and UMass Dartmouth.
During that hot-streak, the Beacons have hit a combined .341, and have a slugging percentage of .470. They have outhit opponents 182-135, and have recorded a combined 48 extra base hits. They have driven in 98 runs, and have outscored opponents 121-80. They have also combined for a .418 on-base percentage, and have reached base a total of 251 times.
Having perhaps the most impressive showing during that stretch has been senior Todd Ezold (Westfield, Mass.) The senior catcher/designated hitter has been absolutely destroying the ball with his .491 average. The new program record holder for doubles in a game with four, Ezold has combined for 28 hits, 11 doubles, one home run, 19 RBI, 14 runs scored, and 42 total bases. He enters this year's tournament riding a 13-game hit-streak, which is a career-best for the Westfield native.
Sophomore Anthony Searles (Shelton, Conn.) has also had an impressive stretch hitting .452 with 19 hits, 10 RBI, 14 runs scored, and a team-leading .738 slugging percentage. Freshman Josh Lopez (New Haven, Conn.) has also hit over .400 during the Beacons hot streak. A one-time LEC Rookie of the Week, Lopez has totaled 21 hits, and has 22 total bases and a .516 on-base percentage.
Defensively the Beacons have done their job day in and day out. At the end of the 14 game stretch, they had a fielding percentage of .960, and turned 15 double plays.
The pitching staff, took the biggest step forward as they ended the year with an ERA of 4.22. Starters Kyle Szatrowski (Agawam, Mass.) and Daniel Mantoni (Northbridge, Mass.) each recorded ERA's under two to lead the staff. The Beacons hurlers tallied 90 strikeouts, and held opponents to just a .267 average.
LOOKING BACK AT 2015
The 2015 season has been a test on many levels for coach Eygabroat and his staff. With such a large group of talented fresh faces, the Beacons skipper had to decide what was going to be the best fit in 2015. The new year got off to a busy start, as UMB faced four nationally-ranked opponents during their spring trip to Port Charlotte, Florida. Perhaps a glimpse of what this year's team was capable of, came when the Beacons upset the number one team in the country, SUNY Cortland.
After returning to New England, which had been battered by record setting snow and cold, any momentum the Beacons had built in Florida slowed immediately, due to lack of playing fields and in-game competition. Once the Beacons were able to get on the diamond, they had trouble sparking that flame, which began to heat up down in Florida.
UMB would go back-and-forth throughout the final weeks of March and early weeks of April. It was not until the come-from-behind sweep of Keene State that the Beacons realized their overall potential.
Perhaps the defining moment of the 2015 campaign, came when the Beacons dropped their second game to the Huskies of Southern Maine. Knowing that they still had not secured a spot in the conference tournament, the Beacons came together and began firing on all cylinders.
The loss to Worcester State did little to cool-off the Beacons, as they continued to pound opponents every time they stepped onto the field. They would cruise to four straight conference victories, before blowing past the Monks of St. Joseph's in dominating fashion. Perhaps the moment that defined the Beacons regular season, came when they earned a walk-off victory, their first-ever, over Endicott College.
Trailing 6-1, the Beacons clawed their way back, and with a full count and two outs on the scoreboard, trailing by one UMass left no doubt that they were a team to be reckoned as Daniel Bonito (Swampscott, Mass.) crushed a two-run bomb to give the Beacons the victory.
WHAT'S NEXT
If the Beacons are victorious on Wednesday, they will then face the winner of the UMass Dartmouth/Eastern Connecticut State match-up on Thursday at 3:30 p.m. If they fall in the opener, they will then have to face the winner of the Southern Maine/Western Connecticut State game at 12:30 p.m. in what would be an elimination game for the Beacons.
