Box Score AUBURNDALE, Fla. – Three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning propelled UMass Dartmouth Baseball past the Stockton Ospreys 5-3 at Lake Myrtle Friday afternoon. UMass Dartmouth improves to 3-4 on the year, while the Ospreys fall to 1-10.
Stockton got on the board first in the top of the third inning. Senior Dan Sweeney Middletown, N.J.) started off the frame with a single to left field. Sweeney advanced to third on a single to right field by sophomore Zach Gustites (Flemington, N.J.). Senior Vaughn Champion (Galloway, N.J.) scored Sweeney from third upon grounding to first base.
The Corsairs would take the lead in the bottom of the fifth, when junior Taylor Cacciola (West Greenwich, R.I.) reached on a single back up the middle. Sophomore Jose Vasquez (Roxbury, Mass.) hit a single past the diving Osprey third baseman, putting Cacciola at second base. After a line out to center field by sophomore Jack Harrington (Barnstable, Mass.), senior Connor Shaw (Goffstown, N.H.) loaded the bases on an error by the Stockton shortstop. Cacciola would then score on a walk by sophomore Kenny Michael (Norwood, Mass.). The next batter, sophomore Josh O'Neill (Halifax, Mass.) hit a deep fly ball to left field, scoring Vasquez from third.
The Ospreys would tie the game up in the next half inning. Senior Stephen Struble (Hammonton, N.J.) launched a leadoff triple down the right field line and would score on a passed ball. Champion reached on an error by the second baseman, eventually scoring on a single by senior Matt Mangaella (Milltown, N.J.) to seize the lead
In the bottom of the eighth inning, the Corsairs would regained the lead for good. After a fly out by freshman Adam Gay (Kingston, Mass.), O'Neill doubled to the left field corner. With two outs, freshman DeVon King (Carver, Mass.) singled to the shortstop, which advanced O'Neill to third.
Freshman Erick Ramirez (Boston, Mass.) reached first on a dropped third strike that reached the backstop, letting O'Neill score from third to tie the game up at three. Ramirez took off for second drawing the attention of the infielders, opening up King to take home. Cacciola then dropped a ball into to left field to score Ramirez from second to put the Corsairs up 5-3.
Sophomore Matt Cronin (Framingham, Mass.) came in the top of the ninth, and sat down the side on seven pitches to pick up his first save of the season.
Freshman Ryan Ainslie (Weymouth, Mass.) got the start for the for UMass Dartmouth, going five innings, scattering five hits and sitting down five Ospreys via strikeout. Junior Sean Callahan (Colchester, V.T.) picked up the win for the Corsairs, going three innings in relief to give up one run on four hits, and strike out five. Junior Aidan Ryan (Cedar Run, N.J.) took the loss, going 7.2 innings and giving up all five runs for the Corsairs.
UMass Dartmouth will close out it Florida trip with a 9:30 a.m. first pitch against William Paterson at Chain O' Lakes Stadium in Winter Haven.
