Box Score LEESBURG, Mass. – University of Massachusetts Dartmouth junior Steve Colella (Leominster, Mass.) threw seven strong innings, but Endicott College taxed the Corsair bullpen for five runs in the eighth inning to earn an 8-5 victory this afternoon at Pat Thomas Stadium.
Colella turned in his finest performance to date, scattering seven hits and a walk. The junior from Leominster, Mass. punched out a season-high three batters on 92 total pitches. He set the tone early by setting down the first three hitters he faced. Colella gave up single runs in the fifth and sixth, but retired the final five batters he faced to close out his third start of the season.
UMass Dartmouth (4-3) pounded out 13 hits, including a season-high four doubles. Senior Ryan Medeiros (Acushnet, Mass.) went 2-for-4 with three RBI to lead the attack. Medeiros ripped a three-run homer over the centerfield fence in the bottom of the ninth to trim the Corsairs deficit to 8-5. Freshman Josh O'Neill (Halifax, Mass.) was 2-for-3, while sophomore Taylor Cacciola (West Greenwich, R.I.) and seniors Alex Newton (Saco, Maine) and Alberto Vasquez (Roxbury, Mass.) recorded multiple hits.
With the ball game tied at 2-2, the Gulls (2-4) greeted UMass Dartmouth junior reliever Matt Russell (Townsend, Mass.) with a lead-off single. Endicott was able to stay out of a potential double-play by sending the runner on a ground out to second. The Corsairs intentionally walked the ensuing batter to create a force out at any bag. However, junior Nicholas De Lotto (Southbury, Conn.) found the left centerfield gap to snap the tie with a double. UMass Dartmouth was able to get the next hitter to fly out to shallow centerfield, and induced an infield groundball. The Corsair infielder bobbled the grounder that led to an errant throw which scored a pair of runs. The Gulls continued to capitalize on the extra out with a two-run single up the middle to cap the five-run outburst.
Endicott stretched its lead to 8-2 with a sacrifice fly to left, but UMass Dartmouth would not go quietly in its final at-bat. The first two batters reached safely and Medeiros lined the 1-1 pitch over the centerfield fence for his first round-tripper of the season. Endicott dashed any hope of a comeback by retiring the next three hitters in order.
The Corsairs opened the scoring in the first, when Medeiros led off with a double to right centerfield. Senior George Agostini (Rehoboth, Mass.) drove in Medeiros with a single to left centerfield. Newton extended UMass Dartmouth's advantage in the fourth with a single down the right field line that plated Cacciola from second.
In his first start and third appearance of the season, junior Davarn Nova (Buzzards Bay, Mass.) allowed nine hits on two runs, while striking out six. Sophomore Eric Nagle (Manchester, Conn.) earned his first win, throwing 1 1/3 scoreless innings of relief.
UMass Dartmouth will return to action at 9 a.m. on Friday, March 20, when the Corsairs face Western New England.
