BOSTON, MA (March 1, 2024) – The UMass Boston Beacons initiated their 2024 campaign with a dominant 13-1 victory over the Pilgrims of New England College, as the Beacs swung for 10 hits and held the defensive errors to just two in the showing.

Graduate right-handed pitcher Max Moss started on the mound for UMass and faced 19 batters over four innings, only giving up four hits, while dishing out five strikeouts, good for zero earned runs in his stretch. 10 different beacons came around to score, with senior second basemen Aidan Blake, senior designated hitter Luke Leavitt, and first-year shortstop Elliot Miles each coming across home plate twice in the outing. Miles swung in three RBIs on two hits through four at-bats. Junior catcher Mike Meagher had one at-bat that he took yard for a grand-slam in the third inning to bring in four RBIs a team-high in the victory.

The first two innings only berthed one hit in the top of the first from the starting New England College Pitcher Brett Padnode, who also took DH duties for the Pilgrims, as he singled to right for the only damage through the early innings.

The third inning saw the bats heat for both teams, with Locklin Rees singling to advance a runner to second before Blake made an unassisted play at second to force the Beacons back up to the plate. The Beacons took the Pilgrims for a ride in the bottom of the third inning, with sophomore right fielder Justin Gouveia homering to right field near the flag poles for a solo bomb that would put the first run on the board for UMass, but not the final in the inning. A pair of walks and bruises from hit-by-pitches loaded the bases for Meagher, as he took advantage of a pitch low and away that he sent well over the left-center field fence for a grand slam to bring the Beacs up to a 6-0 lead in only the third inning. The Pilgrims responded in the fourth inning with a pair of singles, but were reeling from the heat of the Beacons' bats.

The bottom of the fourth inning berthed three more runs and three additional hits for UMass, as Miles doubled to bring home Blake and first-year first-baseman Connor Seeley, followed by a single from senior first baseman Bostyn Burris that would bring home Miles on an error by the NEC center fielder.
The Beacons added three more runs in the bottom of the seventh inning off three hits. First-year catcher Brandon Gaer doubled with one out and one on to drive home Leavitt. First-year third baseman Ryan Slack would follow that up with a triple to drive home Gaer. Junior left fielder Reed Burkett-Schneider would then sac-fly to left field to bring home Slack for three runs on three hits to run the tally up to 12-0 heading into the final two innings.

The Pilgrims showed signs of life in the eighth inning putting up one run on a RBI double that would bring home a runner who previously advanced on a balk for the Pilgrims' only run of the game. The Beacons would also add one more for insurance in the bottom of the eighth inning as Miles would drive home Blake on a single for the final UMass run of the day in an offensive showcase from Coach Eygabroat's squad to begin their 2024 campaign.

Following today's win, the Beacons start the season off 1-0. UMass Boston baseball is back in action tomorrow, Saturday at 11:00 am as they play host to the Gulls of Endicott College. Live stats and video coverage can be found at UMass Boston - Official Athletics Website (beaconsathletics.com).