RINDGE, N.H. (May 10, 2025) – The UMass Boston baseball team (25-17, 12-4 Little East Conference) concluded its 2025 postseason journey on Saturday after a two-day, hard-fought battle against No. 3-seeded Eastern Connecticut State (29-12, 12-4 LEC), falling 9-3 in Game Eight of the Little East Conference Tournament. Despite the result, the Beacons close the year with pride, wrapping up a memorable campaign that saw them earn a top-two finish in the conference and notch 25 total wins.
In a game extended over two days due to weather, UMass Boston utilized six pitchers in a full-squad effort. Max Moss (Manhattan, N.Y.) opened on the mound, working through three innings and striking out two. From there, Logan Lawrence (Taunton, Mass.), Hunter Ward (Nashua, N.H.), Keenan Metrick (Moosic, Penn.), and Josh Garner (Arlington, Mass.) combined to cover the middle frames, paving the way for Thomas Kierce (Cohasset, Mass.), who closed out the final three innings with four strikeouts and just one earned run on four hits.
Eastern Connecticut jumped out to an early lead on Friday, scoring four runs across the first two innings. The Beacons responded in the second when Nick Farnacci (Farmingdale, N.Y.) drove in Reed Burkett-Schneider (Austin, Tex.) with a single up the middle. The Warriors extended their advantage to 5-1 in the third before the Beacons began to rally in the fourth.
Consecutive singles from Farnacci and Jacob Levine (Easton, Mass.) loaded the bases after Bostyn Burris (Highland Village, Tex.) was hit by a pitch. Mike Meagher (Marston's Mills, Mass.) then drew a bases-loaded walk to bring in a run. Moments later, a slow infield grounder from Elliot Miles (Portsmouth, N.H.) allowed Farnacci to score, even as Burris was tagged out at third. Following an umpire conference with Head Coach Brendan Eygabroat, the run stood, bringing the score to 5-3.
Eastern Connecticut would respond with three more runs in the fifth and sixth before rain forced a suspension in play. The contest resumed Saturday afternoon under foggy skies, with the Warriors adding a solo home run in the eighth for their final run.
Refusing to go quietly, the Beacons showed their trademark grit in the bottom of the ninth. Miles sparked the rally with a single, followed by a double from Justin Gouveia (Taunton, Mass.). A fielding miscue on Levine's grounder to third brought Gouveia home, and pinch runner Derek Hawley (Cortland Manor, N.Y.) later scored on Farnacci's RBI triple — his third hit and second RBI of the day — closing the book on a spirited final inning.
Five different Beacons recorded hits, led by Farnacci's 3-for-5 performance. Burkett-Schneider and Gouveia added doubles, while Burris, Meagher, and Levine each reached base after being hit by a pitch.
The Beacons end the season with a 25-17 overall record, including a dominant 15-5 mark at home and a 12-4 conference record that tied for the second-best in the LEC regular season. With a strong core of returners and standout performances throughout the year, UMass Boston has much to celebrate — and even more to look forward to in 2026.
Keep an eye out for the announcement of the 2025 LEC Baseball Postseason Awards, expected following the tournament's conclusion on Sunday.
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