AUBURNDALE, Fla. – A three-run fifth inning would be all 11^th-ranked Rowan University needed to defeat UMass Boston Baseball on Wednesday afternoon in Auburndale, Florida as the Beacons dropped their third game of the trip to the Profs, 3-0.

THE BASICS

UMass Boston 0, #11 Rowan University 3

UMass Boston (5-3)

#11 Rowan University (6-3)

HOW IT HAPPENED
Senior pitcher Tim Cianciolo started the game for the Beacons, escaping a two-out bases loaded jam in the third inning by forcing senior infielder Chris Curcio to fly out to sophomore outfielder Mariano Jimenez to end the inning. Trouble would ensure for the right-hander in the fifth inning when an infield single for senior infielder Tyler Cannon followed by a double by senior outfielder Ryan Murphy put runners on second and third with nobody out.

Junior infielder Pat Defeciani's sacrifice fly was the first out of the inning and pushed the first run across the plate for Rowan in the game. After Cianciolo came back to get junior utilityman Dylan Maria out via the strikeout, junior infielder Anthony Schooley lofted a ball to left field that Jimenez charged in on. Attempting to make the diving play, the ball would pop out of Jimenez's glove, allowing another run to cross the plate for the Profs.

With a chance to escape without any further damage, senior infielder Chris Curcio grounded a ball to senior third baseman Drew Metzdorf whose throw pulled senior first baseman Nick Palma off the base, extending the inning. That allowed sophomore infielder Phil Sedalis to come to the dish and lace an RBI single up the middle to give Rowan the 3-0 advantage.

UMass Boston would have a chance to get back in the game during the sixth inning with runners on second and third with one out. After senior infielder Aidan Blake struck out, Metzdorf came to the plate and grounded to Curcio at short whose throw to Defeciani seemingly pulled him off the base as Metzdorf was ruled safe, allowing a run to score. After a short deliberation between umpires, the call was overturned and the inning ended with the Beacons still trailing 3-0.

One more chance would come UMass Boston's way in the eighth inning when back-to-back two-out singles brough Blake to the plate who would ultimately strike out to end the frame. A 1-2-3 ninth inning for the Beacons would end the game as they fell to 11^th-ranked Rowan University by way of the shutout, 3-0.
 
BY THE NUMBERS

• This was the first time this season in which UMass Boston has been shutout and first time since April 21^st, 2022 against Wheaton College
• Nick Palma's seven-game hitting streak came to an end after an 0-for-4 afternoon
• Freshman pitcher Josh Garner made his first appearance in relief on the mound, working a scoreless ninth inning while allowing one runner to reach via hit by pitch
• Head Coach Brendan Egyabroat remains at 399 career wins and just one shy of reaching the 400-career win mark

 
WHO'S NEXT
UMass Boston plays the penultimate game of their spring break trip to Florida tomorrow afternoon against Johns Hopkins University at 4:45 PM. In the latest D3Baseball.com poll, the Blue Jays were ranked 10^th in the DIII Baseball. The Beacons have matched up with Johns Hopkins just once in program history back in 2014, a 5-4 loss, in Fort Myers, Florida.