BOSTON, MA (May 11, 2024) – The UMass Boston baseball team eliminated the Eastern Connecticut State Warriors in game one of the final day of the 2024 Little East Conference Tournament, before falling to the UMass Dartmouth Corsairs in game one of the championship series, as the Beacons conclude their season as 2024 LEC Championship runner ups.

Game One: (1) UMass Boston: 7 – (2) Eastern Connecticut: 2

The Beacons kicked off day four of the tournament at 12:00 pm against the Warriors and were laser-focused with their eyes on the prize ahead of their game two matchup with the Corsairs.

Sophomore right-handed pitcher Ethan Hunt threw a complete nine innings against the Warriors, as he struck out eight of the 35 batters he faced on 112 pitches. Hunt only allowed two runs on just seven hits from the Warriors' offense, as he provided the foundation for the Beacons' defense in the game-one win.

Junior catcher Mike Meagher provided the heat for the Beacons' offense in game one with three hits in four at-bats including three RBIs to bring home three of the Beacons' seven runs. Junior Mariano Jimenez would score two runs and drive in another in three plate appearances with two hits for a .666 batting average in game one.

First-year Elliot Miles would rake in the first run of the day in game one against the Warriors with an RBI single to left field to score Jimenez from second base in the second inning. Meagher would follow suit with an RBI single to the opposite side of the outfield to score Miles from second following his stolen base.

The next flip of the inning would see a Beacons' rally that provided five runs that would prove plenty to take care of business in game one. The first run of the rally was driven in by a Jimenez single to the gap in left field to score senior Bostyn Burris to make it 3-0 in favor of UMass Boston. Miles would bring in senior Aidan Blake with an RBI single to left, and sophomore Max Garner added another run via a groundout to shortstop to score first-year Brandon Gaer.

The Warriors would put a spark of an effort towards a comeback by removing two runs from the deficit in the fifth inning, but the Beacons' early action took the Warriors by surprise as the Beacons eliminated Eastern Connecticut with the opportunity for the 2024 LEC Championship against UMass Dartmouth at 3:30 pm on Saturday, May 11^th. With the win against the Warriors, the Beacs jump to 27-14 ahead of their matchup with
UMass Dartmouth.

Game Two: (1) UMass Boston 3—(3) UMass Dartmouth: 4

Graduate right-handed pitcher Tim Cianciolo started on the mound against the Corsairs in the first and only game of the championship series. Cianciolo punched out five batters in four innings pitched, while only allowing just one run on four hits. Senior Thomas Kierce, sophomore Justin DeFalco, and senior Ethan Errera each came in to relieve Cianciolo, with the relieving company retiring eight batters by way of the "K".
Kierce and DeFalco each struck out three batters in a combined 4.1 innings pitched, with Errera striking out two in 0.2 innings pitched.

Sophomore Justin Gouveia would score two of the Beacons' three runs in the final game of the season for the Beacons on two hits in five plate appearances. Burris secured one run on two hits in five plate appearances. Jimenez provided two hits including a crucial RBI in the top of the ninth inning to give the Beacons the lead.

The LEC Championship game would be a dual of fate on the hill. Each team would rely on their defense to keep the contest scoreless through the first two innings before the Beacons successfully cracked the stalemate. Senior Aidan Blake provided the first RBI of the game with a ground out to the pitcher that allowed sophomore Justin Gouveia to come across and score for the first run of the game.

The next tally would take four half-innings to come to fruition as the Corsairs would even the scoring off a sac-fly to right field. First-year Brandon Gaer broke the stalemate once again in the seventh inning off a sac fly to center field, allowing Gouveia to come across for the Beacons' second run of the game.

Jimenez would lace a base hit just over the outstretched glove of the Corsairs' second basemen for the final Beacons' RBI of the season to bring home Burris to take the lead heading into the bottom of the ninth inning.

The Corsairs would come away victorious in extra innings to lift the trophy, but the Beacons have no reason to hang their head, instead they can hang their hats on an incredible end to an incredible season loaded with personal achievements and memorable moments.

The Beacs end their season with an overall record of 27-16 with a 13-3 LEC record, while going 3-2 in the tournament. The Beacs went 15-2 from Monan Park, and 10-12 on the road with a season-high seven game win streak from March 22^nd through April 9^th. Until next season, roll…