Box Score PLYMOUTH, Mass. – Trailing 2-1 in the seventh, the University of Southern Maine produced four runs to defeat the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth baseball team, 5-2, in a non-conference matchup at Plymouth North High School on Saturday afternoon.
The Huskies stopped a two-game skid and improved to 9-5 on the season, while the Corsairs slipped to 5-4 on the year.
In the seventh, Southern Maine strung together three walks and a pair of hits for four runs. Freshman Devin Warren led off the inning with a single, and took second on an outfield error. Freshman Nick Bowie walked to put runners at first and second and classmate Brandon Martins followed with a sacrifice bunt, which resulted in all runners being safe on the play.
With the bases loaded, Sam Dexter lined an RBI single to right field to tie the game at two-all. Still with no outs in the inning and runners at every base, Paul McDonough drew a based-on-ball to push home the go-ahead run. Southern Maine added two more runs; one on a double-play and another on a fielding miscue to take a three run lead.
Dexter led the Huskie's offense with a 2-for4 performance at the plate, including a double, an RBI and a run scored, while Matt Bender and Warren contributed two hits apiece in the win.
Cory DeMedeiros (Fall River, Mass.) was the only UMass Dartmouth batter to tally two marks in the hit column, as the top five hitters in the lineup all reached with singles. On the base paths, freshman Zach Courier (Mansfield, Mass.) swiped a pair of bases for the Corsairs.
In the opening inning, UMass Dartmouth jumped out to an early 2-0 lead. Seniors Ryan Medeiros (Acushnet, Mass.), George Agostini (Rehoboth, Mass.), and DeMedeiros loaded the bases with three consecutive singles to start the inning. Classmate Alberto Vasquez (Roxbury, Mass.) generated a sacrifice fly, knocking home Medeiros and advancing Agostini to third. Sophomore Taylor Cacciola ripped an RBI single to center to give the Corsairs a two run advantage after one.
Facing a 2-0 deficit in the third inning, the Huskies managed to close the gap to one run. Senior Brendon Joyce smashed a booming triple to center field and would eventually score on a wild pitch for the visitor's first run of the contest.
Despite allowing two runs in the bottom half of the first, sophomore Nick George managed to hold the UMass Dartmouth bats scoreless for the remaining 6 1/3 innings. George surrendered seven hits and walked one while striking out two in 7 1/3 innings of work. In relief, Andrew Richards put down five consecutive batters to earn his first save of the season.
Junior George Bent (Barnstable, Mass.) hurled six innings of one run baseball in the start for the Corsairs. He fanned seven batters, walked one and scattered seven hits in the effort.
UMass Dartmouth returns to action on Monday, Mar. 30, when the Corsairs open up conference play with a double-header against intra state rival UMass Boston. The games will be held at Salem State University and the first pitch is scheduled for 10 a.m.
