DARTMOUTH, Mass. — Senior
Jose Vasquez (Roxbury, Mass.) lifted a solo home run over the left field fence in the top of the 10th inning and classmate
Logan Maitland (Tiverton, R.I.) earned both decisions as the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth swept Western Connecticut State University in a Little East Conference baseball doubleheader this afternoon at the UMassD Baseball Field. The Corsairs needed extra innings in each contest to sweep the twin bill, capturing the opener 6-4 and nightcap 3-2 in 10 full frames.
UMass Dartmouth won its third consecutive contest to improve to 10-12 on the campaign, while WestConn fell to 2-16. The Corsairs also clinched a berth in the upcoming Little East Conference Baseball Championship tournament with a conference mark of 8-7.
GAME 1 | UMassD 6, WestConn 4
First-year
Matthew Klett (Barnstable, Mass.) ripped a triple to the base of the right field fence to snap a 1-1 tie in the top of the seventh, while senior
Erick Ramirez (Boston, Mass.) followed with a single up the middle to extend UMass Dartmouth's lead to 3-1. The Colonials loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom half of the inning, but UMass Dartmouth was able to escape the jam by limiting the "hosts" to a sacrifice fly.
The "visitors" regained their two-run lead in the eighth, when Vasquez hit a two-out, single into left field to plate senior
Mike Knell (Dennis, Mass.) who started the rally with a double down the left field line.
WestConn would not go quietly in its final at-bat as the Colonials cut the deficit to 4-3 on an infield ground out and tied the contest with a two-out, single into right center field. WestConn advanced the potential winning run in scoring position, but Maitland was called from the bullpen and needed only a single pitch to end the frame.
In the 10th, the Corsairs sandwiched a pair of walks between a senior
JR DiSarcina (Barnstable, Mass.) single to load the bases with one-out. Vasquez gave UMass Dartmouth its final advantage of the afternoon with a sacrifice fly to left to score DiSarcina. Graduate student
Mitch Baker (Braintree, Mass.) laced an RBI double down the left field line to extend the Corsairs lead to 6-4. WestConn was unable to mount a second comeback as Maitland struck out the side in order to earn the win.
Sophomore
Ryan Qualey (Woburn, Mass.) tossed the first six innings for UMass Dartmouth, scattering three hits and two runs, only one of which was earned.
WestConn senior Mike Hendler (Purchase, N.Y.) (1-3) was the tough-luck loser after throwing a season-high nine innings. Hendler surrendered five runs, four of which were earned, on 10 hits and four walks, while striking out five on 118 total pitches.
GAME 2 | UMassD 3, WestConn 2
WestConn jumped out to an early 1-0 advantage in the bottom of the first, but UMass Dartmouth tied the ball game in the fourth on a Vasquez single down the left field line.
The Colonials advanced a runner into scoring position in the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings, but the Corsairs were able to escape without any damage. Knell started a 5-4-3 double play in the eighth to strand the go-ahead run at third.
UMass Dartmouth used some two-out magic in the top of the ninth to take its first advantage of the contest. Sophomore
Adam Horowitz (Seekonk, Mass.) snapped a streak of seven consecutive Corsair outs with a single into left field. Horowitz advanced to second on a Klett single and scored on DiSarcina's RBI single back up through the box to give the visitors a 2-1 lead.
The visitors' advantage was short-lived as WestConn benefitted from a wild pitch to forge a 2-all tie with one out. The Colonials nearly earned the walk-off win two batters later, but Maitland beat the WestConn runner to first base to end the inning.
UMass Dartmouth regained its lead in the top of the 10th, when Vasquez lifted his first home run over the left field fence. The Corsairs advanced a runner into scoring position but weren't able to tack on an additional run. Maitland closed out the contest in decisive fashion, retiring all four batters that stepped into the batter's box.
UMass Dartmouth will return to action at 1pm on Monday, May 10, when the Corsairs host Plymouth State University (8-15, 4-11 LEC) in the regular-season finale.
