NORTHBOROUGH, Mass. – Powered by a four-run rally in the top of the ninth, the UMass Dartmouth baseball team earned a 7-5 victory over Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) at New England Baseball Complex. The win – which was a non-league tilt – saw the Corsairs move to 11-10 overall, while the Engineers slipped to 11-13 on the season.
UMass Dartmouth headed into the top of the ninth trailing by a 5-3 margin, but a home run over the right field wall by rookie first baseman
Mike Maselli inched the Corsairs to within a run. Next up was senior left fielder
Noah Scanlon-Dean, who mirrored his teammate, this time with a game-tying homer over the left field wall.
The Corsairs went on to capitalize on critical WPI errors with two runners on as rookie right fielder
Cole Whitehead struck out, but reached on a throwing error. That blunder allowed sophomore third baseman
Aiden Hochwarter to score from third to take the 6-5 lead.
WPI's pitching errors continued as a wild pitch allowed rookie second baseman
Noah Bongiorno to score for a two-run (7-5) advantage heading into the bottom of the ninth. In the latter half of the frame, the homestanding Engineers threatened, as a double down the left field line by Willems saw runners on second and third with just one out. But stellar pitching from senior hurler
Carter Scovill – who struck out the final two batters of the game – secured the victory for UMD.
Bongiorno went 2-for-3 on the afternoon with a run scored, while Maselli was 1-for-2 with a run scored and an RBI. Scanlon-Dean finished with a hit, a run scored and an RBI as Hochwarter also had a hit and a run scored.
On the mound, sophomore
Jordan Paradis was the victor, securing the win with a no-run, no-hits allowed effort in the eighth inning. Scovill picked up the save, allowing just one hit with two strikeouts in the ninth inning. Senior starter
Ian-James McCasland went 5.0 innings with a strikeout, while sophomore
Leo Colena pitched 2.0 innings of scoreless work as well.
The Corsairs return to action on Friday when they welcome VTSU Castleton for Little East doubleheader action. First pitch for game one against the Spartans is set for 12pm on Corsairs Field.
