BOSTON, MA (March 9,2024)—The UMass Boston baseball team secured one of two victories in the first doubleheader of their spring break road trip out west in Portland, Oregon as they lost the first matchup eight to nine in the 10^th inning, followed by an eight to four victory in game two against the Pioneers of Lewis & Clark.

GAME ONE

Senior right-handed pitcher Dillon Ryan started on the mound for the Beacons, the first of five to take the mound for UMass. Ryan allowed three runs on three hits, all of which were earned, as he stuck out four of the 18 batters he faced on 76 pitches. First-year shortstop Miles Elliot had three hits on five at-bats, to go with two RBIs. Senior infielder Bostyn Burris singled to left to drive in two more, as Burris and Elliot led the team in RBIs. Sophomore outfielder Breon Parker came across to score for the Beacons twice, the only Beacon to do so.

Parker led off for UMass with a walk and would eventually be brought home from senior Aidan Blake's sacrifice fly to open scoring in the top of the first inning for the Beacons, as they took back the field leaving sophomore Justin Gouveia on third.

Junior Mariano Jimenez led off the second with a bang, forcing a solo homer to extend the Beacons' lead to two. However, the Pioneers' bats responded with urgency in the bottom of the second, scoring two off an RBI single to right field to bring the scoring level heading into the third inning. Lewis & Clark would add one more run to the scoreboard in the third following an infield hit with the bases loaded that allowed one to come across for the Pioneers.

The fourth inning hosted a rally in the bottom half, as the Pioneers rifled off two hits to score five runs in the inning, with an RBI single to right, followed by a three-run RBI double to center to put the Pioneers back up big heading into the fifth. The Beacons avenged one run immediately in the top of the fifth, following a triple from senior Aidan Blake who was brought home by a single from Elliot. UMass Boston once again left two one base as they found themselves still in the hole 3-8.

The Beacons rallied in the top of the sixth, started by a single to left from junior Mike Meagher. Parker advanced Meagher and Gaer on a bunt down the third base line to load the bases. Gouveia singled to left to bring home Meagher and advance the runners once again. Miles would send a sac fly to center field to bring home Gaer. With two outs on the board, and two runners in scoring position, Burris singled to left to bring home Parker and Gouveia to bring the score to 7-8. Burris was able to come around to score for the final run of the sixth-inning rally following an error on a Jimenez hit. The Beacons rallied from all the way down 3-8 to level the scoring in a single inning.

The defense would prevail for the next three innings as the two needed a tenth to decide the winner of the first bout. Lewis and Clark would seal the first victory following an error at third base that allowed the Pioneers to score unearned to seal the win.

GAME TWO

Junior right-hander Ross Dexter started out on the mound in game two, as he went for six innings, while only conceding three runs on three hits. Seniors Ethan Errera and Sam Grey each pitched one inning and change to close out for the Beacons, as the two closers combined for three strikeouts against 12 batters on 49 pitches, while keeping the Pioneers at bay for only four hits following Dexter's exit. Gaer went two for four at the plate with a home run and two runs, followed by Elliot who also went two for four with a double while coming across to score once.

Only one run was scored through the first five innings, as the Pioneers took to the board first with an RBI single to right field in the bottom of the first. The next five innings saw only two hits for the Beacons, with Miles doubling in the fifth, and Gouveia singling up the middle in the fourth.

The Beacons leveled the scoring in the sixth inning following Farnaccis's run on a wild pitch. Lewis & Clark responded in the next half inning following a sacrifice fly, and a double steal that saw the Pioneers take home plate to push the needle to a 3-1 lead heading into the seventh.

The Beacons repeated their late rally from the first game, as they shoveled out six runs on five hits in the top of the eighth inning. Gaer leadoff for UMass as he singled to right and was pushed to second off a pickoff error. Gouveia's single to right advanced Gaer to third with runners now on the corners for Blake. Blake kept the rally going with a double to right center that scored Gaer and Gouveia, as Blake advanced to third on the throw. Just when the Pioneers thought the bleeding was done with a runner on third, Elliot singled to right that would bring home Blake. Burris kept the rally alive with a double to left center to bring home Miles. The Pioneers' pitcher was beginning to succumb to the pressure, as Burris advanced to third on a balk, and then home on a wild pitch. Jimenez would single to right and then get caught in a fielder's choice to end the rally in the eighth inning for the Beacs, as they headed into the final stretch up 6-3.

The Pioneers added one run in the bottom of the eighth that would serve as their final following an RBI double to left. Gaer added one more for good measure in the top of the ninth with a solo homer to left, followed by Miles battling to a walk to bring in Gouveia that served as the final run for the day in the Beacons' first matchup from Oregon.

The Beacons move into the new week 2-2 on the season, with their next matchup out west tomorrow, Sunday, March 10 at 3:00 pm EST as they battle the Pioneers once more for the final game in their three-game series. Live stats and video coverage can be found at UMass Boston - Official Athletics Website (beaconsathletics.com).