DARTMOUTH, Mass. —Sophomore
Ryan Qualey (Woburn, Mass.) hurled seven scoreless innings and registered nine strikeouts to strong-arm University of Massachusetts Dartmouth to a 9-0 victory over visiting Castleton University this afternoon to earn a split of the NCAA Division III baseball non-conference doubleheader. The Spartans scored four runs with two outs in the top of the sixth to break a 2-all contest en route to a 6-4 win in the opening game.
The Corsairs improved to 3-7 on the campaign, while the Spartans evened their overall record at 5-5.
GAME 2: UMass Dartmouth 9, Castleton 0
Qualey was dominant in his first start of the season, limiting Castleton to just three hits and a pair of hit batters in a career-high seven innings. The Woburn, Mass. product retired the first four batters he faced before giving up a double. He bounced back by setting down the next six hitters in order and scattered a pair of singles in the fourth. Qualey recorded at least one strikeout in six innings, while punching out multiple batters three times.
Sophomore
DJ Perron (Swansea, Mass.) and senior
JR DiSarcina (Barnstable, Mass.) each recorded multiple hits to lead UMass Dartmouth. Perron went 2-for-4 with a run scored and four RBI, while DiSarcina collected two hits and two runs scored. First-year
Andrew Possi (Milton, Mass.) made his first collegiate start and ripped a RBI double down the left field line.
UMass Dartmouth provided Qualey with all the run support he would need in the bottom of the first inning, when Perron belted a two-run double into the left centerfield gap. The Corsairs doubled their advantage in the second with Possi's double and a run scoring groundout. Perron drove in a run in the fifth and seventh inning and senior
Mike Knell (Dennis, Mass.) added a RBI single in the seventh to build a 8-0 margin. Classmate
Erick Ramirez (Boston, Mass.) an insurance run in the eighth with a sacrifice fly.
Junior Jason Reola (West Hartford, Conn.) completed the shutout for the Corsairs with two scoreless innings.
GAME 1: Castleton 6, UMass Dartmouth 4
Seniors
Mitch Baker (Braintree, Mass.),
Tucker Hetherman (Webster, Mass.) and Ramirez each had multiple hits to combined for six of the nine Corsair hits. Ramirez and Hetherman each registered a home run, while Baker added a pair of singles.
Castleton used some two-out magic to break open a 2-all contest in the top of the sixth. First-year Johnny McCommas (Missoula, Mont.) started the rally by reaching third on a single and two base error by the right fielder. A hit batter put runners on the corners and the Spartans executed a double steal to take a 3-2 lead. Castleton loaded with bases on a pair of base on balls and first-year Hunter Perkins (Quechee, Vt.) laced a three-run double into the center field gap to push the lead to 6-2.
UMass Dartmouth tried to climb back into the contest with solo home runs in the eighth and ninth innings, respectively. Senior
JR DiSarcina (Barnstable, Mass.) ripped a two-out double to put the tying run at the plate, but the visitors were able to escape any further damage.
First-year Aubrey Ramey (Fair Haven, Vt.) earned his first collegiate victory, throwing seven innings of five-hit ball. Senior
Dean Streich (North Kingstown, R.I.) started for UMass Dartmouth and received a no-decision after working five innings. He gave up three hits, two runs, none of which were earned, and three walks, while striking out four.
UMass Dartmouth will return to action at 3:30pm on Tuesday, April 13, when the Corsairs travel to Rhode Island College for a Little East Conference contest. Fans can watch all the action on Littleeast.tv.
