DARTMOUTH, Mass. – Powered by an outstanding 4.2 innings of relief from sophomore pitcher
Aidan O'Donnell in game one, followed by a hitting barrage in game two, the UMass Dartmouth baseball team took both ends of an LEC twin bill with Plymouth State on Friday. The Corsairs came from behind to win game one 9-8, before taking a comfortable 9-1 victory in game two. The Corsairs improve to 18-12-1 overall and are now 10-0 in LEC play, securing the most regular-season conference wins in program history. The Panthers slide to 7-11 overall and are now 3-5 in conference play.
In game one, Plymouth State took control of the lead after a five-run fifth inning. PSU's most dominant inning from the plate featured a two-run homer for junior DH Sam Malgeri and an RBI double from junior second baseman Danny Quinn. The Corsairs trailed 8-4 going into the bottom of the sixth inning. Grad student right fielder
Anthony Keefe and freshman shortstop
Cooper Wixon led off the bottom of the sixth with back-to-back singles. Sophomore centerfielder drove in a run on a single through the right side of the infield. Junior second baseman
Devyn Vezina brought in the second runner and senior DH
Matthew Klett drove in one final run with two outs.
Still trailing by a run in the bottom of the eighth, Wixon got things going with a lead-off double to right center field. Baker followed him with a perfectly placed bunt-single, setting up a one-out double off the bat of grad student right fielder
Joe Muzio. Muzio's double brought in the go-ahead run and eventual game-winner, as the Corsairs went on to take a 9-8 victory.
O'Donnell was outstanding, not allowing a run after taking over in the middle of the fifth inning. In 4.2 innings of work, O'Donnell allowed just one hit and one walk with five strikeouts, as he earned his second win of the season.
The Corsairs were led from the plate by Wixon, who went 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Muzio went 2-for-5, also with an RBI and a run scored. Baker had a great day as well, going 2-for-4 with two RBI's and two runs, while Vezina added a pair of RBI's himself on 1-for-4 from the plate.
Game two saw a different story, as it was UMass Dartmouth who jumped out to an early 5-0 lead through three innings. The Corsairs drove in four runs in the second innings, including a two-RBI double from senior catcher
T.J. Keefe. Junior pitcher
Adam Maher have yet another great outing. In 6.0 innings of work, Maher allowed just one run on five hits with no walks and nine strikeouts. Maher continues his remarkable season, improving to 5-1 from the mound.
UMass Dartmouth led 7-1 through six innings when they went to the bullpen. The committee of senior
Chase Carey, sophomore
Geordan Jackson Murphy and freshman
Jacob Rosati threw one inning each and allowed a combined three hits and no runs with four strikeouts. UMD was able to add another pair of runs in the seventh on a two-RBI single from senior third baseman
Andrew Possi, as the Corsairs took the 9-1 victory to complete the series sweep.
Eight different batters recorded hits from the plate for the Corsairs, with five players having multiple-hit days. Possi led the way, going 2-for-3 from the plate with three RBI's and a run. Vezina was 2-for-2 with two RBI's. Wixon added to his great day by going 2-for-4 in game two.
UMass Dartmouth baseball is back to it on Tuesday, traveling to UMass Boston for their second meeting of the season. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00pm in Boston.
