DAVENPORT, Fla. – The UMass Dartmouth baseball team opened play at the RussMatt Invitational, falling to Ohio Northern University in doubleheader action at Northeast Regional Park. The Corsairs shouldered losses of 4-1 and 14-5 in game two, slipping to 0-4 on the season.
Playing a stalemate through five innings of game one, the Corsairs broke the tie in the bottom of the sixth as senior second baseman
Devyn Vezina opened the frame with a walk. Advancing to second on a passed ball, Vezina went on to score as grad student first baseman
Joe Muzio singled to right for the 1-0 advantage.
In the top of the seventh with two outs on the board, the Polar Bears retaliated as senior left fielder Sam Sells was hit by a pitch. Junior shortstop Robbie Reed doubled down the right field line to tie the game at 1-1.
Ohio Northern went to the bullpen in the bottom of the seventh, bringing in sophomore hurler Matt Serdinak after senior starter Joe Tootle went 6.0 innings, allowing one run on three hits with 12 strikeouts and two walks surrendered.
The Polar Bears reliever shutdown the Corsairs offense, striking out the final two batters to send it to the top of the eighth locked in a 1-1 draw.
UMass Dartmouth went to the bullpen as well in the eighth, bringing in junior right-hander
Geordan Jackson Murphy as senior starter
Adam Maher went 7.0 innings, allowing one run on four hits with a pair of strikeouts and just one walk.
With one out on the board, junior infielder Chase Armstrong singled to center. Next up saw a walk to sophomore infielder Kyler Lapp. Both runners advanced a base on a passed ball, as Armstrong went on to score on a wild pitch to give Ohio Northern the 2-1 advantage.
Bases loaded with two outs on the board, the Polar Bears broke open the game as Sells singled on a hard grounder to center, driving in a pair of runs to open a 4-1 lead. The Corsairs once again went to the bullpen, bringing in senior right-hander
Nick Pappas to nabe the final out – which came on a fielder's choice grounder to send it to the bottom of the eighth.
The Polar Bears brought in senior lefty Brady Corbitt in the top of the eighth to secure the win. Despite a double to right from Vezina, the Corsairs were unable to get a run across as Ohio Northern secured the victory.
For the Corsairs, Muzio went 2-for-3 with two runs batted in, while Vezina was 1-for-3 with a run scored. In addition to Maher, Jackson Murphy went 0.2 innings, allowing three runs on two hits, while Pappas came on for the final 0.1 inning with no runs or hits allowed.
Game two of the doubleheader saw the Corsairs break things open in the top of the second, posting five runs on three hits. With an out on the board, senior right fielder
Chance Checca was hit by a pitch. Sophomore shortstop
Cooper Wixon was next at the plate, cracking the ball to center to put runners on first and second. Vezina, stepped up to the plate with two outs on the board, sending a fly ball to right that brought home both runners for the 2-0 lead.
Muzio was next up, getting hit by a pitch to once again give the Corsairs two on with two outs on the board. A second hit-by-pitch to senior left fielder
Liam Blesi saw the bases loaded and graduate student designated hitter
Matt Tempone capitalized, driving in three runs on a liner to right to grab the 5-0 lead.
The Polar Bears answered in the bottom of the frame as three walks loaded the bases quickly. Junior shortstop Robbie Reed then singled down the left field line as one run came in, keeping the bases full as the Corsairs went to the bullpen. Sophomore right-hander
Nick Bartalini came on, taking over for lefty starter
Jordan Paradis.
Ohio Northern brought another run across as Bartalini walked the first batter he faced, keeping the bases loaded with no outs on the scoreboard. The Polar Bears made it a 5-3 game as sophomore outfielder Kyle Callahan sent a line drive to left to bring in another run.
Junior infielder Chase Armstrong tied the game with one swing of the bat, sending a liner to right for a two-run single and a 5-all score. Following a pitching change by UMD, the Polar Bears grabbed the lead as a pop-out to left saw a tag-up by Callahan at third to move it to 6-5.
Sells broke open the game, sending a grounder to second that saw him reach on an error as two runs came across for ONU. The Polar Bears concluded the inning with another run as sophomore outfielder Evan Russ stole home for the 9-5 margin.
Ohio Northern plated three more runs in the bottom of the third and went on to add two more runs in the sixth enroute to the 14-5 victory.
Tempone provided the offensive pop for the Corsairs, leading the team with three runs batted in. The left-handed hitter went 1-for-1 on the day. Vezina, Wixon, rookie right fielder
Sam Bradford also collected hits in the game.
On the mound, Paradis went 1.0 innings with four runs allowed. Bartalini allowed four runs, while Harding went 1.2 innings with four runs surrendered. Senior right-hander
Josh Malcolm went 2.1 innings, striking out one while not allowing a run or a hit, while sophomore lefty
Leo Colena allowed two runs with two strikeouts in 1.0 innings.
The Corsairs are right back in action on Sunday, taking on Roger Williams University at 12:15pm. The game will be played at Lake Myrtle Park in Auburndale, Fla.
