BOSTON, MA. (March 1, 2025.) – The UMass Boston baseball team (3-0) spun a three-run deficit into a five-run victory against the Worcester Polytechnic Institute Engineers (0-1) for their third consecutive victory, and second win with 14 or more runs to begin the year. Five Beacons came across to score two runs, and a fifth-inning two-run slam from Graduate Richard Williams (Georgetown, Mass.) capped off a fun-run frame for the Beacs.
 
How it Happened:

• Senior lefty Keenan Metrick (Malvern, Penn.) got the nod to start the game, and went for three innings against 15 batters. Senior right hander Dowd Ritter (Birmingham, Ala.) followed Metrick to make his debut for the Beacons. Then came first-year Jonny Pagano (Attleboro, Mass.) in the fifth inning. For three innings, Pagano gave the Engineers trouble, as he forced nine batters to record outs in the field, and struck out two batters, as he earned a debut victory on the mound in an inspiring performance. He forced the last out in the seventh inning off the grounder to make the play at first to close out his call to the bump. Sophomore Hunter Ward (Nashua, N.H.) shut the door in the final frames.
• The Beacons flipped the switch out of the gates on offense, as they capitalized on two hits and two Engineers' errors to score four runs in the first frame to take a quick lead. With the bases loaded, sophomore Brandon Gaer (Rocky Hill, Conn.) scored an additional run in the second inning to add to an already commanding lead.
• The Engineers rallied in the third and fourth innings to score eight runs, jumping out to a three-run lead.
• Down three in the fifth, UMass Boston answered the call at the plate, scoring five runs on two hits and one Engineers' error. Following walks to begin the frame to Justin Gouveia (Dartmouth, Mass.) and Gaer, a hard hit drive to third from sophomore Elliot Miles (Portsmouth, N.H.) forced a wild throw that allowed both Gouveia and Gaer to come across, making it a one-run game. Miles got greedy on the path and paid off, allowing junior Nick Farnacci (Farmingdale, N.Y.) to score him off an RBI double. Williams' homer capped off the run to retake a three-run lead heading into the sixth inning.
• Graduate Jacob Levine (Easton, Mass.) added a two-run RBI single in the following inning that brought home Bostyn Burris (Highland Village, Tex.) and Gouveia, with Gouveia singling to move a walked Burris earlier in the frame.
• The Beacons' bats remained scorching in the eighth inning, as they scored two runs on four hits and one Engineers' error. Mike Meagher (Marston's Mills, Mass.) opened the floodgates with a single and was moved to third from a single through Farnacci. Farnacci then stole second to put two runners in position for junior Breon Parker (Springfield, Mass.), who forced an error at shortstop, allowing Meagher to come across safely. With Farnacci now on third, a single from Mariano Jimenez (Waltham, Mass.) brought in the final Beacons' run of the game to make it 14-8 heading into the top of the ninth.

By the Numbers:

• Runs: Eight different Beacs came across to score. Five of them scored twice including Jimenez, Gaer, Gouveia, Miles, and Farnacci who was substituted as a pinch hitter in the fifth.
• Hits: As a unit, the Beacons went 12-37 at the plate with 12 RBIs and back-to-back extra-base hits from Farnacci and Williams in the fifth inning. The Beacons remained disciplined at the dish, with only three swinging strikeouts in the win.
• Baserunning: Jimenez set a new career-high for steals in a single game, taking an insatiable four bases. Joining him on the base path were Burris and Gouveia, with two each, and Miles and Farnacci, each with one.
• Fielding: Levine led the team with 12 of the Beacons' 27 total putouts, followed by Meagher with five, and Gouveia and Jimenez each with four. Burris led all Beacons with four assists on the defensive side.

Who's Next:

The Beacons conclude a successful week one showing undefeated through their first three games. Their next matchup will remain at Monan Park on Tuesday (Mar. 4) against the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Engineers at 3:00 p.m.

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