BOSTON, MA (May 10, 2024) – The Beacons' baseball team defeated the University of Southern Maine 4-1 under the Monan Park lights on Thursday evening, as they will advance to the 2024 Little East Conference semi-final matchup on Friday, May 10^th at 3:30 against the winner of game six featuring the Warriors of Eastern Connecticut State and UMass Dartmouth.

Thursday evening's matchup against the Huskies was strictly business from the Beacons' bullpen, with senior Dillon Ryan opening on the mound. Ryan pitched for six innings and gave up no Huskies' runs on just three hits and only two walks. He punched out nine batters against the 27 he faced through 106 pitches. Ryan was relieved by sophomore Justin Defalco, senior Thomas Kierce, and graduate closer Tim Cianciolo. As a bullpen, the Beacons punched out 13 batters in 32 at-bats, and allowed just six hits as a defense for Ryan's sixth win in seven starts, and for Cianciolo's fifth save of the season.

From the dish, the Beacons went 10-36 led by senior Aidan Blake who batted 1.000 in four appearances with an RBI and a run scored for two of the Beacons' four runs in the evening. In three at-bats for senior Luke Leavitt, he recorded one hit and drew two walks including an RBI. Blake, along with senior Bostyn Burris, and first-year Brandon Gaer, each swung for extra bases in the effort with Blake recording two doubles, Burris recording a double of his own, and Gaer batting for an RBI triple.

The Beacons' defense shined bright among the Monan Park lights while holding the Huskies' bats scoreless through the first seven innings behind Ryan and DeFalco on the bump.  The first recorded Beacons' run came in the third inning off Blake's RBI single to left field to bring in Burris for the first run of the game. Gaer followed suit in the fifth inning with an RBI triple to clear Blake from second base.

In the seventh inning, Leavitt would work a clutch walk with the bases loaded to bring in junior Mariano Jimenez for the Beacons' third run. The final tally on the Monan Park Green Monster came off a Huskies' wild pitch to allow junior catcher Mike Meagher to come across to score for the fourth and final fatal run for the Huskies' 2024 campaign.

The Beacons improve to 26-14 overall this year, with the 2024 LEC Semifinal matchup slated for Friday, May 10^th against the winner between UMass Dartmouth and Eastern Connecticut, at 3:30 pm from Monan Park in Boston, MA. For live stats and video coverage, visit UMass Boston - Official Athletics Website (beaconsathletics.com).