BOSTON, MA (May 8, 2024) – The Beacons' sophomore outfielder Justin Gouveia added five of the Beacons' 11 runs in their round one, 11-3 victory in the 2024 Little East Conference Tournament over the Rhode Island College Anchormen from the opening game at Monan Park in a rainy Wednesday afternoon.
Junior right-handed pitcher Ross Dexter started on the mound for the Beacons in game one and stood on business for five of the nine innings played for his fourth win in seven appearances. Dexter punched out five batters against the 22 he faced and allowed just three runs on six hits with no walks. Sophomore reliever Justin DeFalco, and seniors Thomas Kierce and Brandon Ferrari each made an appearance to close out game one. As a bullpen, the Beacs combined for seven strikeouts in 38 Anchormen at-bats.
Gouveia led the way for the Beacons from the plate with four hits in five appearances including five RBIs off two doubles and a home run. Gouveia was involved in seven of the Beacs' 11 runs in the opening win to protect home field. Sophomore Max Garner batted 100% in two appearances with a run scored and two RBIs including a sacrifice fly.
Rhode Island College jumped out in the fifth inning to grab a two-nothing lead following a pair of hits from the Anchormen that scored one run off a single to left, and another off a double to right field.
The Beacons responded with authority and dominance in the next half inning, scoring seven runs as a response in the bottom of the fifth inning, and another unanswered run in the sixth inning. Senior Aidan Blake kicked things off with a sac-fly to center field to bring in Gouveia for the Beacons' first of the game. Junior Mariano Jimenez would follow suit with a double down the right field line to score senior Bostyn Burris to level the scoring at two. Garner's single to right field scored first-year Brandon Gaer from third and almost scored Jimenez from Second but he was gunned down from left field on the run at the plate. Sophomore Breon Parker kept the two-out rally alive with a single up the middle to score two runs, junior Mike Meagher and Garner. Gouveia topped things off in the fifth inning with another double through the left side to score Parker and first-year Elliot Miles.
Gouveia would put the cherry on top for the Beacons in the seventh inning with a three-run home run to score himself with senior Luke Leavitt, and Miles for the Beacons' ninth, 10th, and 11th runs of the games.
UMass Boston will advance to play the winner of game three featuring UMass Dartmouth and the University of Southern Maine on Thursday, May 9 at 3:30 from Monan Park. Live stats and video coverage can be found at https://beaconsathletics.com/index.aspx.
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