BOSTON, Mass. – After a game one rout which saw baseball plate 14 runs through the first four innings on their way to a 14-2 seven inning win, the Beacons offense was held in check in game two as they were handed an 8-5 loss to earn a non-conference doubleheader split with Suffolk University Friday evening at Monan Park.
THE BASICS
UMass Boston 14, Suffolk University 2 (7 innings)
UMass Boston 5, Suffolk University 8
UMass Boston (15-5)
Suffolk University (13-10)
HOW IT HAPPENED
UMass Boston dominated the opener from the first pitch. The Beacons erupted for six-runs in the first inning, before tacking on three in the second, two in the third, and three more in the fourth.
The Beacons bats made contact a total of 14 times, with nine of those going for extra bases.
Aidan Blake continued his slugfest at the plate, as the second baseman put a pair over the outfield wall. Gianni Zarilli, Jr. also crushed a home run over the mini monster in left field.
Along with his two home runs, Blake would also record a double to cap-off a 3-for-4 day which featured three RBI and three runs scored. The opener for Zarilli ended with a 2-for-3 showing with three RBI and a pair of runs.
Alex Amalfi dismantled the Suffolk bats through the first five innings, as she struck out 12. He allowed the two runs, on four hits, and walked just three batters to improve to 5-1 on the season.
Ethan Errera closed out the one-sided victory allowing just one hit in two innings of work.
The nightcap was a completely different story for the Beacons offense, as Garrett Roberts neutralized UMB through the first four innings. While Roberts did the job on the hill, the Suffolk bats began to fire on all cylinders plating an early run in the top half of the first. They then tacked on three more in the third and two more in the fifth to take a than 6-0 lead.
The Beacons got to Roberts in the fifth inning as they scored four runs to cut the deficit to two. UMB got that inning off to a great start as they recorded four-straight doubles, which made it 6-3 at the time. An RBI single by
Craig Corliss capped-off the huge momentum swing for the Beacons.
DJ Lopes had one his best showings on the hill as he held Suffolk hitless through 2.1 innings. This allowed the Beacons to add one more run to make it just a one-run ball game, with plenty of innings to be played.
Unfortunately, that lone run in the sixth would be UMB's last, as their comeback was cut short, with Suffolk sealing the victory in the ninth with a pair of insurance runs.
Dillon Ryan lasted 4.2 innings and allowed six runs, five earned, on nine hits. The righty had six strikeouts and allowed two walks. Roberts picked-up the win, after going the five complete innings. Steven Ross earned his first save after closing out the ninth.
Corliss and Zarilli, Jr. each had three hits in the game-two loss, with Zarilli picking-up his second home run in the twinbill to go along with his second double.
BY THE NUMBERS
- With Saturday's game one win, head coach Brendan Eygabroat now sits with 383 career wins as the Beacons skipper
- UMass Boston has now won 10 of their last 15 meetings with Suffolk University
- Coming into Friday's doubleheader, Amalfi and Ryan ranked 21st and 26th in Division III in strikeouts per nine innings with 14.29 and 13.88 respectively
- Zarilli and Blake combined for 23 total bases in the split, Zarilli hitting a monstrous .714, while Corliss hit .667 and Blake .500.
WHO'S NEXT
The Beacon will travel to Plymouth State University on Tuesday for a 2:30 p.m. conference game.
