Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 FISHKILL, N.Y. – UMass Dartmouth and Western Connecticut split a Little East Conference doubleheader as the Corsairs took game one to a score of 9-2, while the Colonials take game two, 2-1. UMass Dartmouth goes to 12-17 and 4-5 in Little East Conference action, while West Conn moves to 13-15 and 4-5 in LEC play.
Corsairs 9, Western Connecticut 2
A three-run first inning got things started as UMass Dartmouth starter Mac Curran (Lakeville, Mass.) went eight strong innings to silence the Colonial offense.
Junior Taylor Cacciola (West Greenwich, R.I.) and sophomore Kenny Michael (Norwood, Mass.) combined to go 6-for-9 at the plate, driving in five RBIs to power the Corsair offense.
UMass Dartmouth got on the scoreboard in the top half of the first when Cacciola drew a two-out walk. After a single by Jose Vasquez (Roxbury, Mass.), Michael drove home Cacciola from second with a single to center field. An error by the WCSU shortstop loaded the bases full of Corsairs, before sophomore Ervin Kantardzic (Roslindale, Mass.) scored a pair on a single through the left side.
The Corsairs struck once again with two outs in the top half of the second. Freshman Ryan Ainslie (Weymouth, Mass.) took ball four before stealing second, setting the stage for Cacciola who doubled to right field, sending Ainslie home. UMass Dartmouth would tack on another run in the top of the third on a throwing error by the pitcher to score Michael and secure an early 5-0 lead.
Western Connecticut finally got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third. After a two out double, Nick Delotto (Southbury, Conn.) singled to left field to give the Colonials their first run.
UMass Dartmouth would answer back with a two more runs in the top of the fourth. Cacciola found the right center gap to score two Corsairs to extend their lead.
The Colonials scored one more time, in the bottom of the fifth, when senior Chris Callahan (Southington, Conn.) singled to left field to score John Kelly (Stratford, Conn.) from second.
In the top of the seventh, UMass Dartmouth added two more insurance runs on a double from Michael and a sacrifice fly to right field to bring the lead to its final point.
Curran earned his third win of the season for the Corsairs after scattering 10 hits over eight innings of work and yielding a pair of earned runs. Sophomore Matt Cronin (Framingham, Mass.) finished the ninth inning on the mound, sitting the Colonials down in order. Senior Craig Frobel (Southington, Conn.) got the start for Western Connecticut, only going five innings after allowing seven runs (four earned) on seven hits, while striking out five batters.
Western Connecticut 2, Corsairs 1
UMass Dartmouth's rally in the top of the ninth fell just short as the Corsairs narrowly dropped the second half to the twin bill.
Western Connecticut got the scoring underway in the bottom of the second. With two outs in the inning, Bill Buscetto (Old Lyme, Conn.) singled down the left field line and proceeded to steal second base. He would score on a single that squeezed through the right side of the infield from the bat of Zach Sagar (Trumbull, Conn.).
The Colonials would add another run in the bottom of the fifth when back-to-back singles to lead off the inning gave Delotto the opportunity with runners on the corners and no outs. He drove in the insurance run when he grounded out to the second baseman.
Neither offense could get anything else together until the top of the ninth. Freshman Jonathan Livolsi (Bridgewater, Mass.) reached base on a fielder's choice. Senior Matt Russell (Townsend, Mass.) pinch ran for Livolsi with two outs in the inning, before advancing to second on a balk. Curran then drew a walk to give the Corsairs runners on first and second. Freshman Erick Ramirez (Boston, Mass.) loaded the bases with a single to the shortstop, before sophomore Josh O'Neill (Halifax, Mass.) drew a walk to score Russell from third. The Colonials would end the game on a fielder's choice, cutting O'Neill down at second base.
Junior Sean Callahan (Colchester, V.T.) took the loss after eight innings of work, striking out six, scattering just six hits. Senior Todd Lyons (Norwalk, Conn.) collected the win with 8.2 innings on the mound for the Colonials, allowing five hits equaling to just one run and striking out seven. Fellow senior Edgard Santiago (New London, Conn.) picked up the save after getting the last out of the game.
UMass Dartmouth will return to action when they travel to Providence, R.I., to take on Rhode Island College on Tuesday at 3:30 p.m, a week after the Corsairs dispatched the Anchormen 13-1 in seven innings at home.
