BOSTON, Mass. – After dropping game one of their Little East Conference doubleheader to intra-state rival UMass Dartmouth (4-1), the Beacons battled back in the nightcap, behind strong pitching and combined 13 hits to earn the split as they defeated the Corsairs by the final of 7-4 Saturday afternoon at Monan Park. 

THE BASICS

GM1 – UMass Boston 1, UMass Dartmouth 4
GM2 – UMass Boston 7, UMass Dartmouth 4

UMass Boston (14-12, 2-4 Little East Conference)
UMass Dartmouth (10-13, 2-4 Little East Conference)

HOW IT HAPPENED

GAME 1

Despite a strong seven innings from junior starter Dan Mantoni (Northbridge, Mass.), the Beacons offense only managed three hits in the opener.  The righty was handed his second loss of the year, after allowing three runs on seven hits.  He did fan nine, and walked five in Saturday's twinbill.  Bobby Tramondozzi (Peabody, Mass.) allowed the only other Corsairs run in his two innings of work.  The freshman did pick-up a pair of strikeouts in his team leading 12^th appearance of the season.

Junior catcher Anthony Searles (Shelton, Conn.) recorded two of the Beacons three hits, and drove in their only run in the bottom of the first inning.  Josh Lopez (New Haven, Conn.) owned the only other hit for UMB, a single in the bottom of the second.

Sean Callahan collected the win in game one after going seven complete innings.  During that stretch the senior righty allowed the one run on three hits and had five strikeouts.  The Corsairs go-to closer Matt Cronin picked-up his conference leading fourth save, after closing out the ninth, as he retired the Beacons in order.

GAME 2

Unlike the opener, the Beacons got on the board early and never let-up through the first five innings, as they jumped out to a 6-1 lead.  Freshman lefty JT Morin (Wilton, Conn.) was once again consistent for the Beacons as he held the Corsairs to the lone run, until the top of the seventh.  The Connecticut native managed to get one out in the top half of the sixth, but did allow three runs in the inning to make it a two-run ball game.  Morin ended the contest with six K's and improved to 3-0 on the season.

Fernando Burgos (Hyde Park, Mass.) collected his first save of the season, after closing out the final 2.2 innings.  The freshman righty allowed just one hit and had two strikeouts to carry the Beacons the rest of the way to earn the split.

Dave Murphy (Plymouth, Mass.) bounced back in a big way in game two as he went 3-for-5, with two doubles, three RBI and a run scored.  Charlie Huegi (Sandy Hook, Conn.) also had a pair of doubles, as he closed out game two 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.  In total the Beacons recorded seven doubles in the nightcap, which marked a new season-high.

The Beacons final run of the afternoon came in the bottom of the eighth on an RBI by Murphy which sealed the victory.

BY THE NUMBERS

• With the split, UMass Boston and UMass Dartmouth sit in a three-way tie for fifth place in the conference standings along with Keene State College
• On the week, Murphy went 11-for-20 with eight RBI, three doubles and seven runs scored
• Morin now sits tied fourth in the conference with his three wins alongside Tramondozzi

WHO'S NEXT

The Beacons will host the University of Southern Maine on Tuesday at 3 p.m. in a Little East Conference single game at Monan Park.