Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 SALEM, Mass. – University of Massachusetts Dartmouth sophomore Taylor Cacciola (West Greenwich, R.I.) singled down the left field line in the bottom of the 10th inning to cap a dramatic rally as the Corsairs erased a 10-5 eighth inning deficit to edge intra-state rival University of Massachusetts Boston 12-11 this afternoon, earning a split of the Little East Conference doubleheader at Salem State University's Central Campus Field.
In a rare Monday conference twinbill, the Beacons posted an 8-4 victory in Game 1. The doubleheader was originally scheduled for Friday, March 28, but was moved to the turf baseball complex due to unplayable conditions.
GAME TWO – UMass Boston 11, UMass Dartmouth 12 (10 inns.)
UMass Dartmouth's (6-5, 1-1 LEC) bats came alive in the final three innings, registering 10 of its season-high 17 hits after the seventh. Cacciola, who entered the contest as a pinch-hitter in the ninth, went 2-for-2 with a run scored and game-winning RBI. Seniors George Agostini (Rehoboth, Mass.) and Cory DeMedeiros (Fall River, Mass.) each recorded three hits, while classmate Alberto Vasquez (Roxbury, Mass.) reached safely four times on a single, double, and two intentional walks. Freshman Zach Courier (Mansfield, Mass.) belted his first collegiate home run over the left field fence to tie the ballgame in the bottom of the fourth.
Facing their largest deficit of the afternoon, the Corsairs ignited their comeback bid in the bottom of the eighth with back-to-back doubles. Senior Nate Farias (New Bedford, Mass.) greeted the Beacon reliever with a single back through the box to trim the deficit to 10-7. UMass Dartmouth loaded the bases with a single and a walk, while Agostini capped the three-run inning with a single to third.
UMass Boston scored an insurance run in the top of the ninth, but freshman Matt Cronin (Framingham, Mass.) escaped a bases-loaded, no outs jam with minimal damage to keep the hosts' within striking distance. The first two Corsair batters reached safely and moved into scoring position with a ground out to the right side of the infield. Senior Alex Newton (Saco, Maine) produced a two-run single into right field and moved to second on an errant throw. Following an out, freshman Josh O'Neill (Halifax, Mass.) forced the extra frame with a single up the middle to plate pinch runner Connor Shaw (Goffstown, N.H.) with the tying run.
In the 10th, UMass Dartmouth used its new found momentum to retire the Beacons in order, setting up a potential walk-off situation in the bottom half of the frame. Following a fly-ball out, DeMedeiros doubled to the base of the right field fence and Vasquez drew his second intentional walk of the afternoon to place runners at first and second. Cacciola turned on a 1-0 pitch and ripped it down the left field line to score DeMedeiros with the game-winning run.
Cronin threw a season-high 32 pitches over 2 1/3 innings to record his second victory of the season. The Framingham, Mass. product allowed one run on a hit and two walks, while striking out the final batter he faced. Junior David Tarr (Easton, Mass.), making his second start of the season, received a no-decision after throwing the opening five frames. He allowed five earned runs on eight hits, while striking out a season-high five hitters.
GAME ONE – UMass Boston 8, UMass Dartmouth 4
In the opener, senior lefty Kyle Szatrowski (Agawam, Mass.) would go season-long eight innings to earn his second win of the 2015 season. The All-Conference pitcher struck out seven, and held the Corsairs to just two runs on nine hits, and walked just two, in his third appearance of the year.
The Beacons would combine for three runs through the first two frames, before breaking the game wide-open in the final three frames as they combined for five runs to secure the victory. Daniel Mantoni (Northbridge, Mass.) carried the Beacons offense with a 4-for-6 showing. The sophomore would combine four RBI and two runs scored in the victory.
UMass Boston combined for 14 hits against their intra-state rival, but managed to strand a season-high 14 runners.
Sal Frosceno (Derby, Conn.) led of the afternoon with a single, and would quickly find his way around the bases thanks in part to an error by the Corsairs, and an RBI single by Mantoni. Trevor Bouvier (Salem, N.H.) would make it a two-run game on a bases loaded hit by pitch with two outs on the scoreboard.
After a shutdown bottom of the first by Szatrowski, Mantoni would crush an RBI double in the top half of the second, which plated Delvis Baez (Lawrence, Mass.). Baez would also have a big game one for the Beacons as the outfielder finished 3-for-3, with two RBI, a run scored, and a walk.
The Corsairs got on the board in the bottom of the third when Cory DeMedeiros drove home their first run on a fielder's choice. DeMedeiros would account for the second run of the day for UMD, after reaching home on an RBI double by Alberto Vasquez.
From there, the two starting pitchers would settle down with neither team scoring another run until the top of the seventh. In the seventh, the Beacons got a pair of runs across home plate when Baez crushed a two-run single to center field.
Szatrowski would return to the hill in the bottom half of the inning, and continued his shutdown pitching. Ezequiel Sanchez would then crush an RBI double to score Mantoni to make it 6-2.
The bottom of the eighth would mark the final inning for Szatrowski, as the lefty allowed just two singles. Mantoni would drive in the final two Beacons run in the top of the ninth on a single through the left side to give UMass Boston a comfortable lead.
With only three outs remaining, UMB turned to their bullpen and freshman Alex Carusotto (Pittsfield, Mass.). The righty would battle through some early troubles, which allowed two Corsairs runs, but he would get the final out on a groundout to first base to secure the victory.
UMass Dartmouth will return to action at 3 p.m. on April 1, when the Corsairs travel to Worcester State University.
