DARTMOUTH, Mass. – In a game that meant so much for UMass Boston Baseball entering their final week of the season in terms of seeding for the Little East Conference Tournament next week, the Beacons answered the call on Wednesday with nine unanswered runs over the final four innings to storm from behind and defeat UMass Dartmouth in their road matchup, 9-5.
The win ensures the Beacons will enter the tournament with at least the fourth seed as Rhode Island College clinched the top spot and will host the four-day, six-team event starting next Wednesday. With a doubleheader remaining against Eastern Connecticut State University at home on Saturday, a sweep of the Warriors will give UMass Boston at least a top three seed.
The Beacons can finish as the two seed with a doubleheader sweep on Saturday coupled by the University of Southern Maine getting swept by Castleton University since the Huskies hold the tiebreaker over UMass Boston after sweeping that doubleheader last month.
THE BASICS
UMass Boston 10, UMass Dartmouth 5
UMass Boston (21-15, 9-5 LEC)
UMass Dartmouth (17-16, 6-8 LEC)
HOW IT HAPPENED
Graduate pitcher
Josh Eastman got the ball for the Beacons in his third start of the season and would be tagged for three runs in the opening frame. A one-out solo home run from senior infielder DJ Perron got the scoring started for the Corsairs who added on two more runs on an RBI single by junior catcher Matt Tempone and RBI double from senior outfielder Chase Stafford to take a 3-0 lead.
Senior infielder
Aidan Blake would get one back for UMass Boston in the third on a sacrifice fly, but UMass Dartmouth would match that with two runs of their own on a wild pitch in the third and RBI single by sophomore infielder Devyn Vezina which saw the Corsairs take their largest lead of the game at four runs, 5-1.
However, the Beacons would flip the script over the final four innings of play starting with two runs in the sixth on a sacrifice fly from freshman outfielder
Joey Morrison and senior infielder
Gianni Zarrilli Jr. scoring on a wild pitch to make it a two-run deficit for UMass Boston, 5-3.
The equalizer would come in the eight inning as junior outfielder
Luke Leavitt's RBI groundout and freshman outfielder
Breon Parker's RBI single knotted the game up at five heading into the ninth which would be where the Beacons struck for five more runs to take the first and only lead of the game, they would need to get the big Little East Conference win.
It was the hot bat of junior infielder
Bostyn Burris that put UMass Boston in front as his RBI groundout would be the first out of the inning while putting the Beacons ahead, 6-5. Still threatening for more, the next three runs of the inning would come on a wild pitch and two balks from freshman pitcher Joe Raymond before Parker capped off the frame with another RBI single.
Closing out the game for the Beacons was junior transfer pitcher
Sam Gray who notched his second win of the season, working a scoreless bottom of the ninth inning while allowing just one hit as UMass Boston defeated UMass Dartmouth with a come-from-behind victory, 10-5.
BY THE NUMBERS
- Finishing 2-for-4 with a walk and run scored, senior infielder Drew Metzdorf extended his on-base streak to eight consecutive games
- Breon Parker finished the afternoon going 3-for-6 with two RBIs and a stolen bases
- The UMass Boston bullpen allowed just two runs (one earned) on nine hits while striking out and walking four over the last seven innings
- Sophomore pitcher Adam Maher, who defeated UMass Boston at Monan Park earlier this season, took a no decision after going five innings and allowing one run on three hits while striking out three and walking two
- The UMass Dartmouth bullpen was responsible for nine runs on eight hits over the final four innings
WHO'S NEXT
UMass Boston closes out their regular season with a doubleheader against Eastern Connecticut State University on Friday afternoon at Monan Park. The Beacons have lost their last six games against the Warriors dating back to 2021, after winning their previous six matchups between the two sides from 2018 to 2019.
