LEESBURG, Fla. -Â The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth baseball team wrapped up its Florida trip with a split against Thomas College. The Corsairs are now 6-4 on the year, while Thomas goes to 2-8.
GAME ONE - 7 INNINGS
Juniors
Andrew Bryant and
DJ Perron, and freshman
Devyn Vezina led the Corsairs at the plate, while graduate student
Ryan Bruning picked up his second win on the mound to push UMass Dartmouth to a 5-3 victory in game one.
Bryant was 2-for-3 with three RBI, Perron crushed his first home run of the season, and Vezina had an RBI double with a run scored. Also getting it done at the plate was sophomore
Jared Neikam, who finished a perfect 3-for-3 with a double.
Bruning tossed a complete game, allowing three earned on five hits with three K's, three walks, and a hit batter.
With two outs in the bottom of the first, Perron got the scoring started with a solo shot.Â
Each team scored three runs in the second. Thomas had the first crack at it and took a 3-1 lead on a pair of RBI groundouts and a wild pitch. UMass Dartmouth's offense took the lead for good in the bottom half of the inning. Freshmen
Scott Cromack and
Chase Pariseau found their way on base, and Vezina doubled to right scoring Cromack and advancing Pariseau to third. Bryant followed with a two-bagger to bring both runners home and make it a 4-3 Corsairs advantage.
Bryant singled home Cromack, who led the fourth inning off with a base hit, for the final run of the game, bringing the score to 5-3. Bruning had little problem navigating through the Thomas hitters in the final three innings to secure the win.
GAME TWO - 7 INNINGS
Thomas scored the winning run in the bottom of the sixth to hand the Corsairs a 5-4 setback in their final game in Florida.
UMass Dartmouth only had six hits in the game. Perron finished with two RBI, while Bryant and Pariseau each drove in one run. Junior
Ryan Qualey started and went four innings, allowed four earned on five hits, struck out four, walked one and hit two batters. Senior
Chase Stafford went the final two innings and gave up the winning run on two hits.
The Corsairs had a strong second, bringing across four runs in the inning. With two outs and sophomore
Andrew Possi on second, Pariseau drove him home with a single. Bryant then brought home Pariseau with a base knock, and Perron doubled in Bryant and Vezina, who walked earlier in the inning.
Thomas evened the score in the fourth with a four-run inning of its own. A three-run home run and an RBI fielder's choice made it 4-4.
The winning run in the sixth for Thomas came on back-to-back doubles to start the frame. The Corsairs had the tying run on second and the go-ahead run on first in the top of the seventh, but a fly out ended the game.
UP NEXT
UMass Dartmouth plays its home opener on Saturday against Bridgewater State. The doubleheader begins at 12 p.m.
