PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Behind an explosive sixth inning effort, the UMass Dartmouth baseball team took game two by an 11-6 margin to split Little East doubleheader action at Plymouth State University on Friday. The Corsairs are now 14-13 overall and 6-4 in conference play, while the Panthers – who earned a 6-3 win in game one – move to 4-15 overall and 1-7 in the LEC.
Additionally, today's doubleheader saw graduate student first baseman/designated hitter
Joe Muzio etch his name further in the record books in Division III as he has now reached base safely in 63 consecutive games. He now ranks sixth all-time in NCAA Division III history with the all-time record d belonging to Salve Regina's Eric Cirella (104) and Wooster's Jamie Lackner (94). During the 2024 season, Muzio reached safely in the final 37 games of the season and has been on base in all 26 games for the Corsairs this season. The current list can be found
HERE (page 9).
After shouldering the loss in game one, the Corsairs battled back as a double to left center off the bat of Muzio saw UMD take the 1-0 lead in the top of the first. The visitors added to their advantage in the next frame as a sacrifice fly from senior right fielder
Scott Cromack saw sophomore catcher
Ryan Jones come in to score for a 2-0 lead.
The Corsairs made it a 3-0 advantage soon after as a line out to left field by sophomore outfielder
Marcus Ollivierre allowed third baseman
Nick Bartalini to score from third.
Plymouth State battled back in the third as an inside the park home run with two on, followed by a two-run home run to left field pushed the home team ahead by 4-3 at the end of the third inning. Into the top of the fourth, Ollivierre walked to bring in a run, later scoring on a wild pitch as the Corsairs tied and regained the 5-4 lead.
In the sixth inning, the Corsairs broke open the game with a five-run spot, led off by Cromack – whose single to center allowed Bartalini to score. Ollivierre doubled down the left field line to bring in another run, while a triple to center field off the bat of Muzio made it a 9-4 lead for UMD.
Senior right fielder
Liam Blesi singled through the left side to cap the scoring for the frame as Muzio came home for a 10-4 lead. Plymouth State responded in their half of the sixth, closing the gap to four (10-6), but an RBI single to right from senior
Chris Kustigian added the final run to the Corsairs total for the game.
Muzio went 3-for-4 with a run scored and three runs batted in, while Ollivierre was 1-for-3 with three runs scored and three runs batted in. Bartalini went 2-for5 with two runs scored as Cromack was 1-for-4 with a run scored and two RBI.
On the mound, junior
AJ Rourke earned the victory, pitching 5.0 innings with four runs allowed on six hits. He struck out seven batters and surrendered no walks. Junior Aiden O'Donnell pitched 1.0 innings allowing two runs on two hits, while sophomore
Jordan Paradis pitched 0.2 innings with a strikeout. Junior hurler
Geordan Jackson Murphy was the final pitcher of the day, going 2.1 innings with two strikeouts.
Game one saw the Panthers jump out to a 2-0 lead, adding another run in the bottom of the fifth for a 3-0 advantage. The Corsairs answered in the top of the sixth as graduate student catcher
Matt Tempone sent a two-run shot over the wall in right to make it a 3-2 game. The Panthers added two runs in the bottom of the frame to push its lead to 5-2.
In the seventh, Muzio belted an RBI double to left center to cut the deficit to two (5-3), but another run came across for the home team in the bottom of the frame to close out the game's scoring.
Muzio went 3-for-5 during game one, adding a run scored and an RBI. Tempone was 1-for-3 with a run scored and two RBI, while on the mound, junior
Ray Boutiette suffered the loss. He went 6.0 innings, allowing five runs on six hits with three strikeouts. Senior
Carter Scovill pitched 1.0 innings of relief, surrendering one run on one hit with a strikeout, while sophomore
Dillon Harding pitched the final inning with a strikeout and no runs or hits allowed.
UMass Dartmouth returns to action on Tuesday, April 22 when it travels to UMass Boston to face the Beacons at 3:00pm. The Corsairs return home on the 23rd, welcoming nationally-ranked Endicott at 3:30pm.
