MANSFIELD, Conn. – A career best nine-inning win by Alex Amalfi (Ashland, Mass.), and a clutch sac-fly by Gianni Zarilli, Jr. (South Glastonbury, Conn.) lifted the fifth-seeded Beacons to a 2-1 win 10 inning win over fourth-seed UMass Dartmouth Saturday afternoon at ECSU Baseball Stadium.

THE BASICS

#5 UMass Boston 2, #4 UMass Dartmouth (10 innings)

UMass Boston (10-7)
UMass Dartmouth (9-8)

HOW IT HAPPENED

With the win, the Beacons advanced in the winner's bracket and will face the top-seed Eastern Connecticut State University.  Winner of that contest will move into the championship series and will face the winner of the elimination game between the Corsairs and the loser of UMB/ECSU.

Amalfi allowed the lone UMass Dartmouth run in the fifth inning, and scattered three Corsair hits.  He had six strikeouts and allowed just one walk.  Zarilli drove in the game-winning run in the top of the tenth, when he plated Aidan Blake (Lakeville, Mass.).

UMass Boston scored the first run of the tournament when Craig Corliss (Hopkinton, Mass.) registered an RBI single with bases loaded.
That lone run was all Amalfi needed to keep the Corsairs at bay as he did not allow a Corsair hit until the fourth inning.  Despite giving up the then tying run in the fifth, the sophomore continued to pound the strike zone. 

Once the Beacons struck for the go-ahead run in the top of the 10^th, Dillon Ryan (Sandwich, Mass.) closed out the affair as he retired UMass Dartmouth in order. The save was Ryan's first of the season, with Amalfi improving to 1-2 on the year. 
  
BY THE NUMBERS

• The Beacons combined for six hits in the win
• Thomas Cue (Shrewsbury, Mass.) was 2-for-4, while pinch hitter Michael Comeau (Andover, Mass.) recorded a double in the top of the 10^th to spark the Beacons extra inning win
• The Beacons have now won six of their last seven meetings
• Amalfi became the first pitcher this season to go nine innings

WHO'S NEXT
The Beacons will take on top-seed Eastern Connecticut State.  If UMass Boston wins, they will play on Saturday, start time will be approximately 4 p.m.  If they are in the elimination game they will play at 1 p.m. at the ECSU Baseball Stadium.