DAVENPORT, Fla. – The UMass Dartmouth baseball team put up 12 runs over four innings enroute to a 14-1 victory over Fitchburg State in spring break action at the RussMatt Invitational on Monday afternoon. The victory moves the Corsairs to 3-0 on the season, while the Falcons shoulder their first loss of the young season and are now 4-1.
The Corsairs owned a 2-1 lead after four innings before opening the flood gates with a four-run fifth. Sophomore outfielder
Scott Cromack got the rally going, singling up the middle which was quickly followed by a single to left from LEC Rookie of the Week,
Brett Baker. With runners on the corner, UMD pulled off the double-steal as Baker took second, while Cromack stole home.
Senior
Andrew Bryant was then hit by a pitch, bringing up senior infielder
DJ Perron as he cracked a double down the left field line to bring in Bryant and Baker for the four-run (5-1) advantage. Junior shortstop
Andrew Possi followed with a single through the left side, capping the scoring for the inning as he drove Perron in from third.
UMass Dartmouth tacked on two more runs in the top of the sixth and continued to roll in the seventh as senior catcher
Matt Tempone doubled to left. Possi was then walked to put two runners on, as junior infielder
T.J. Keefe reached on a fielder's choice for a bases loaded opportunity. The Corsairs capitalized as grad student
Chase Stafford reached on an FC of his own. Tempone crossed the plate on a throwing error, while Possi scored soon after on an interference call for a 9-1 lead.
The Corsairs continued to dominate, unleashing its offensive firepower once more in the top of the eighth inning with a five-run frame. Bryant got the rally going with a walk, followed by a single to left from Perron.
Advancing to third on a flyout to center by Tempone, Bryant went on to score as Possi recached on an error by the left fielder. With runners on, Keefe singled to left, driving both home, while Stafford answered with a triple to right, scoring Keefe. Baker closed out the action, making it a 14-1 contest as his single up the middle saw Stafford cross the plate.
The Corsairs defense proved stellar, holding Fitchburg State to just one run on nine hits. Leading the effort was junior righthander
Will Pacheco, who went 7.0 innings. Facing 24 batters, he held the Falcons to just seven hits and one run, striking out three with three walks on the afternoon. Junior righty
Chase Carey came on for the final inning of relief, allowing no runs and just two hits with two strikeouts.
Offensively, UMD saw Baker go 3-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored. Sophomore second baseman
Devyn Vezina, who had a double and a triple early in the game, was 2-for-3 at the plate with an RBI and two runs scored, while Perron went 2-for-5 on the day, adding two RBI and two runs scored.
For the Falcons, junior Maxwell Kelly was 2-for-3, posting a run scored, while classmate Vincent Eramo was 3-for-4. Sophomore Jason Bickford shouldered the loss, allowing six runs (five earned) on five hits over 5.0 innings of work. He struck out two, while also walking two. Sophomore Bailey Griggs came on for the final 3.0 innings of relief, surrendering eight runs (four earned) on seven hits. He struck out four and walked three.
UMD is back on the diamond on Tuesday when it faces Penn State Altoona in Auburndale, Fla., at Lake Myrtle Park. Game time is set for 9:30am.
