MANSFIELD, Conn. — Sophomore
DJ Perron (Swansea, Mass.) registered a pair of multi-hit games, but the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth was swept by Eastern Connecticut State University this afternoon in a Little East Conference baseball doubleheader at Eastern Baseball Stadium. The Warriors edged the Corsairs in a low scoring affair in the opener, 2-0, and held off a large charge for a 6-5 victory in the nightcap.
GAME 1 | Eastern Connecticut 2, UMass Dartmouth 0
Senior
Ryan Bruning (Centerville, Mass.) and Eastern Connecticut senior Josh Vincent (New London, Conn.) were locked in a pitcher's duel through four complete innings. Eastern Connecticut was able to solve Bruning in the top of the fifth, when junior Noah Plantamuro (Bristol, Conn.) hit a one-out, RBI double to centerfield to give the Warriors all the support they would need.
UMass Dartmouth threatened to score in the bottom of the sixth, when senior
Erick Ramirez (Boston, Mass.) singled and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Perron singled to right field, but Ramirez was cut down at third. Senior
Mike Knell (Barnstable, Mass.) doubled to right field, but Eastern Connecticut was able to work out of the two-out jam to strand Perron at third.
Eastern Connecticut added an insurance run in the top of the eighth inning to provide the final margin of victory.
Bruning threw a season-high eight innings, but was saddled with the loss. He limited the Warriors to two runs on six hits and a walk, while striking out seven. Graduate student
Robbie Carrillo (Melrose, Mass.) worked one inning in relief.
Vincent raised his individual record to 3-0 with a seven-inning start. He did not allow a run and surrendered just five hits and three walks, while registering seven punchouts. Sophomore Nathan Furino (East Haven, Conn.) collected the save after striking out four of the nine hitters he faced in two innings of work.
Perron reached safely in all four plate appearances with three hits, including a double, and a walk to pace the Corsair offensive attack.
GAME 2 | Eastern Connecticut 6, UMass Dartmouth 5
Eastern Connecticut built a 4-0 advantage through six and a half innings, but UMass Dartmouth finally cracked the scoring column with a two-run seventh. The Warriors regained their four-run lead with a pair of runs in the eighth. Unfazed, the Corsairs matched the visitors with a Perron two-out RBI double followed by sophomore
Tyler Wudyka (Sandwich, Mass.) run producing single to right field.
UMass Dartmouth capitalized on an Eastern fielding error to put the tying run at the plate with one-out in the ninth. Junior
Zak Souza (Fall River, Mass.) singled to put runners at the corners and senior
JR DiSarcina (Barnstable, Mass.) lifted a two-out double over the right fielders' head to cut the deficit to 6-5. Ramirez worked a five pitch walk to load the bases, but Eastern Connecticut relief pitcher junior Zach Player (East Hampton, Conn.) struck out the No. 3 hitter to seal the sweep.
UMass Dartmouth will return to action at noon on Friday, April 9, when the Corsairs travel to Castleton University (1-3, 1-0) for a Little East Conference doubleheader. Fans can watch all the action on Littleeast.tv.
