MOOSIC, Pa. – Despite a season-high five errors, baseball managed to rally in the seventh and eighth innings to score a combined six runs as they earned a 6-2 win over Haverford College on day one of the 2016 NCAA Regional Tournament at PNC Field hosted by Misericordia University.

THE BASICS

UMass Boston 6, Haverford College 2

UMass Boston (29-12)
Haverford College (27-13)

HOW IT HAPPENED

With the victory, the Beacons advance in the winner's bracket and will play tomorrow at 4:30 p.m. against the winner of #1 Misericordia University and #8 Penn State Berks. 

On top of their late offensive surge, the Beacons got one of the best outings of the year from junior righty Dan Mantoni (Northbridge, Mass.).  Through seven complete innings, Mantoni allowed just six hits, all singles, and have five strikeouts.  The two runs allowed were both unearned and came in the bottom of the second.

After six scoreless innings, the Beacons following put their first dent on the scoreboard thanks to a Bryan Dupre (Chicopee, Mass.) double down the left field line, which scored Charlie Huegi (Sandy Hook, Conn.).  Dave Murphy (Plymouth, Mass.), knocked in the Beacons second and third run of the inning on a single that just got by the third baseman.  Scoring on the play was Mantoni and Dupre which gave UMB their first lead of the contest.

Even with another error by the Beacons defense, Mantoni was able to get out of the bottom of the seven unscathed.  UMass would then seal the victory in the eighth.  Anthony Searles led off the inning with a walk, and would move over to second after Kyle Boudrias (Medford, Mass.) was hit by a pitch to put runners at first and second.

Huegi would then move his teammates up 90 feet, and with a pair of errors by the Fords, Searles would make his way home to give UMB a 4-2 lead.  Dupre then drove in his second run of the contest on a single through the left side to make it 5-2, with runners now on the corners.  The Beacons would quickly reload the bases thanks to a bunt single by Sal Frosceno with no outs on the scoreboard. 

A fielder's choice would give the Fords their first out of the contest, but it did not do much to slow down the Beacons.  To round out his stellar showing in game one, Mantoni picked-up a sacrifice fly, which scored Dupre to give the Beacons their sixth and final run of the day.

After the second big inning by the Beacons bats, Bobby Tramondozzi (Peabody, Mass.) came in in the eighth and retired the side in his first NCAA Tournament appearance.  With all the run support they needed, the Beacons looked to Tramondozzi to shut down the Fords in the bottom half of the ninth.  The freshman would hit the first batter he faced in the inning, but would then get three straight outs to earn the victory.

BY THE NUMBERS

• Wednesday's NCAA Regional game marked the first for the Beacons since the 2010 season, when they won the program's first regional title
• All-time UMass Boston is now 5-0 in the NCAA Regional tournament games
• Wednesday's game marked the first-ever meeting between the Beacons and Haverford
• The Beacons entered the NCAA Regional Tournament ranked second on the most recent NEIBA Regional Poll
• In total the Beacons combined for six runs on eight hits
• Of the eight runs scored in the contest by the two teams only two were earned

WHO'S NEXT

The Beacons will play tomorrow at 4:30 p.m. against Misericordia University or Penn State Berks.