BOSTON, MA (March 22, 2024) – The UMass Boston baseball team outlasted the Wolves of Western Connecticut in their Little East Conference opening doubleheader from their home field of Monan Park in game one. The Beacons recorded 11 hits and kept the errors to a minimum with two, to outscore the Wolves 8-3 on Friday afternoon.

The Beacons' junior right-hander Ross Dexter started on the bump for UMass in game one, as he pitched for seven innings, threw 105 pitches, and faced 31 batters, allowing three runs on seven hits, while striking out five and only allowing two on base from walks. Dexter was credited with the win. However, it was the Beacs' sophomore right-hander Justin Defalco, who came in to relieve Dexter, who was credited with his first save of the season, as he threw for two innings, faced six batters, struck out half of them while allowing no hits for no runs during his two-inning stint.

Sophomore Justin Gouveia led the team in at-bats with five, and recorded an RBI double for his solo hit of the game. Sophomore Breon Parker, and seniors Luke Leavitt and Aidan Blake each went .500 from the batters' box today, as the trio each went 2-4 recording six hits in twelve at-bats, for a combined three RBIs and three runs scored. Leavitt joins Gouveia as the only two Beacs to hit into extra bases, as both recorded doubles in the win. The Beacs were thieving on the basepath today with five stolen bases, including a double steal to bring in a run, led by Parker with two.

The Wolves struck first on the scoreboard in the top of the second inning, as a pair of HBPs and singles allowed Western Connecticut to open the door with a two-run lead before retaking the field in the bottom of the second. They recorded two hits for two runs on no errors in the inning.

The Beacs were able to pull one back off Leavitt's double that would bring the first-year Brandon Gaer home from second. The Beacons retook the field after only recording one run on two hits, and left Leavitt on base as they cut the lead in half heading into the third inning.

A pair of singles along with the boost by a Beacons' error allowed Western Connecticut to add one more run to their tally in the top of the fourth inning, however,r Dexter was able to guide UMass out of danger, with the Beacons' escaping the inning with only one run on two hits with one left on. Junior catcher Mike Meagher gunned down the Wolves runner attempting to steal second, which allowed the Beacons to get the out from the next at-bat to escape the bleeding.

The fifth inning saw UMass find their footing and swing for a short rally. They recorded four hits, and scored three runs off a single Wolves' error, while also leaving two on base to end the inning. The rally was kickstarted by senior infielder Bostyn Burris who grounded out to first but allowed Leavitt to score from third to cut the Wolves' deficit to 3-2. Blake stepped up and rifled an RBI single through the gap towards center field to score Gouveia from second to even the scoring at three apiece. Gaer's single to center field gave Blake enough room to score from second to take the lead 4-3 in the bottom of the fifth inning.

UMass Boston would drive in the dagger in the eighth inning following a second lethal run to put away the Wolves for game one. The eighth-inning rally was kickstarted by Parker's RBI single to right field to score Meagher and advance the Beacons' sophomore Nick Farnacci to third. Parker and Farnacci at the corners would receive the double steal sign, as Parker beat the throw to second, advancing Farnacci to home safely on the throw for the double steal at second and at the plate, to push the needle to a 7-3 lead in favor of the Beacons. Parker would then steal third to put himself in scoring position before Gouveia would fly out deep enough to bring in Parker on the sacrifice fly for the final run of the game, as the Beacs led by DeFalco on the Bump would hold the Wolves scoreless for the remainder of the game.

The Beacons take back an even .500 record on the season with the win in game one, with a 7-7 record overall in the season, and also pick up their first conference win, as the Wolves fall to 2-8 in the loss from game one. Game two to follow shortly afterward. Following the doubleheader against the Wolves, UMass Boston expects to take the Tufts University Jumbos from Medford, Massachusetts next Wednesday March 27^th. Live stats and video coverage can always be found at UMass Boston - Official Athletics Website (beaconsathletics.com).
--BEACONS--