MANSFIELD, Conn. – The second-ranked Warriors of Eastern Connecticut State University secured the top-seed in next week's Little East Conference Tournament as they swept baseball by the finals of 14-7 and 6-1 Friday afternoon at ECSU Baseball Stadium.
THE BASICS
GM1: UMass Boston 7, #2 Eastern Connecticut State 14
GM2: UMass Boston 1, #2 Eastern Connecticut State 6
UMass Boston (24-15, 11-5 Little East Conference)
Eastern Connecticut State (35-3, 15-1 Little East Conference)
HOW IT HAPPENED
In game one the Beacons actually struck first with
Aidan Blake crushing the ball over the left field wall to make it 1-0 in the top of the second. Unfortunately, that lead was short lived as the Warriors erupted for 13-straight runs over the next four innings.
The Beacons managed to plate a pair of runs in the top the fifth, before surrendering six in the bottom half of the same inning as ECSU took a 13-3 lead. After a scoreless sixth the Beacons were looking to avoid the ten-run rule decision, so they put-up four runs in the top of the seventh to cut the Warriors lead to six (7-13).
Unfortunately, a late Beacons rally was stopped as the Warriors put-up another run in the seventh, before holding the Beacons to just one hit over the final two frames.
Bostyn Burris and
Steve Brookwell each recorded doubles in the opener, with Burris plating the two runs in the top of the fifth.
Alex Amalfi was handed the loss, after allowing six runs on 11 hits in just 2.2 innings.
The nightcap, saw UMass Boston recorded just two hits with their lone run coming off a wild pitch which allowed
Drew Metzdorf to score in the top of the seventh.
Metzdorf and Brookwell were the only two players to make contact in game two, with the loss going to
Dillon Ryan. The righty allowed four runs on nine hits, while also striking out three.
BY THE NUMBERS
- With Friday's losses the Beacons will now be the three-seed in the Little East Conference Tournament, which will start next Wednesday. The tournament will be hosted by ECSU. The Beacons will face fourth-seeded Southern Maine at 7 p.m.
- The two hits in game two were the fewest recorded by the Beacons since March 14, and the fewest in an LEC contest all season
- With the two losses ECSU has now wow five-straight over the Beacons and have now recorded back-to-back regular season sweeps
WHO'S NEXT
The Beacons will face Southern Maine on Wednesday, May 11 at 7 pm at the ECSU Baseball Stadium in Mansfield, CT.
