DARTMOUTH, Mass. – Powered by several multi-hit efforts and a lights-out performance from Aiden O'Donnell on the hill, UMass Dartmouth posted a doubleheader split against the University of Southern Maine on Friday. The Corsairs posted a 9-7 win in game two, falling 9-6 in the day's opener to move to 10-8 overall and 3-1 in conference play. The Huskies - who played as the home team in today's contests - are now 5-11 overall and 3-1 in the LEC.
After a tough loss in Friday's opener, the Corsairs bounced back from a 3-1 deficit in game two with a seven-run top of the third. After an RBI-single down the right field line from graduate student designated hitter
Joe Muzio, fifth-year first baseman
Matt Tempone delivered a two-RBI single to left to give the Corsairs the 4-3 lead.
Sophomore catcher
Ryan Jones was next up, delivering in his at-bat with an RBI single to left, moving the margin to 5-3 as a wild pitch brought home another run. Sophomore third baseman
Nick Bartalini then doubled to left, driving in another run for an 8-3 advantage.
In the bottom of the fourth, Southern Maine battled back, pulling the margin to 8-7 as designated hitter Peter Keblinsky singled to second to bring home the Huskies seventh run. Despite the momentum, Southern Maine faced an immovable force as O'Donnell came on to pitch 5.0 innings, allowing no runs and just one hit with six strikeouts.
The Corsairs added a final run in the top of the ninth, scoring on a wild pitch, while junior
Geordan Jackson Murphy came on for the save, allowing just one hit in the ninth to pick up his first save of the season.
Tempone went 2-for-3 at the plate with a run scored and two runs batted in, while senior right fielder
Scott Cromack was 2-for-4 with a run scored. Muzio was 2-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI. Starter
Ian-James McCasland went 1.2 innings, allowing three runs on four hits, while sophomore
Dillon Harding came on for 1.1 innings, surrendering four runs (two earned) on three hits with a K.
UMass Dartmouth shouldered the loss in game one as the Huskies brought in five runs in the bottom of the first. Trailing 9-2 into the seventh, the Corsairs battled back in the top of the frame, led off by a two-run double down the left field line from senior left fielder
Liam Blesi – who also hit a home run to left in both games. Tempone followed with a two-run single to right to close the gap to 9-6, but the Corsairs could not get any closer as Keblinsky came on in relief over the final 2.0 innings, allowing no runs and just two hits with a pair of strikeouts.
Blesi went 2-for-5 with two runs scored and three RBI, while junior centerfielder
Brett Baker was 2-for-4 with a run scored. Tempone was 1-for-3 with a runs scored and two RBI as junior
Ray Boutiette shouldered the loss with five runs allowed on five hits over 0.2 innings of work.
Junior
AJ Rourke came on in relief, allowing four runs on seven hits with four strikeouts over 5.0 innings, while sophomore
Sam Watts pitched 0.1 innings, getting the final out needed before sophomore
Jordan Paradis pitched the final 2.0 innings, allowing just two hits with a strikeout.
UMass Dartmouth returns to action on Monday when it hosts Babson College at 3:30pm on Corsairs Field.
