DARTMOUTH, Mass. – Endicott College used several big innings and solid pitching to post a non-conference victory over UMass Dartmouth on Wednesday evening. The Gulls – ranked #3/#4 respectively in the national polls – move to 28-3 on the season, while the Corsairs slip to 15-14 overall with the 15-3 loss.
Endicott saw 10 different players combine for 18 total hits in the contest, paced by junior shortstop TJ Liponis, who was 3-for-4 with three runs scored and two RBI on the day. Senior left fielder Danny MacDougal went 3-for-5 with a runs scored and three runs batted in, while grad student and designated hitter Kyle Grabowski was also 3-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI.
On the mound, the Gulls saw sophomore reliever Jake Harmony earn the victory, pitching the second and third innings with no runs and just one hit allowed – in addition to two strikeouts. Endicott, which saw six pitchers take to the hill, also got four strikeouts and just one hit allowed over 3.0 innings from senior righty Chris Jenkins.
For the Corsairs, graduate student first baseman
Joe Muzio was 2-for-3 with a run scored, while sophomore second baseman
Nick Bartalini was 2-for-4 with a run scored. Sophomore shortstop
Cooper Wixon had a hit with an RBI, while grad student designated hitter
Matt Tempone and sophomore center fielder
Marcus Ollivierre also had a hit and an RBI each.
The Corsairs saw junior hurler
Seamus Marshall shoulder the loss, allowing three runs (1 earned) on two hits over 3.0 innings of work. He also added a strikeout. Seven other pitchers saw time in the contest with seniors
Josh Malcolm and
Nick Pappas, along with sophomores
Leo Colena and
Ryan Jackson each recording a strikeout during their stints on the mound.
UMass Dartmouth opened the game's scoring in the bottom of the first as Tempone belted a double to right center to bring home Muzio. The Gulls answered in the top of the third, brining three runs across for a 3-1 advantage. In the fourth, Endicott saw a double to left center from Liponis, coupled with a single up the middle from senior center fielder Zach Stephenson push the margin to 5-1.
Endicott added a run in the sixth and broke open the game with a seven-run seventh to open a 13-1 advantage. After a pair of runs can across in the eighth, the Corsairs were able to answer in the bottom of the ninth.
With runners on second and third, Wixon singled to right to bring in another run. Ollivierre followed, reaching on a fielder's choice and advancing on a throwing error as senior right fielder
Chris Kustigian came home to score.
The Corsairs return to the field on Friday with it welcomes Little East rival Keene State for doubleheader action. UMass Dartmouth will honor its nine seniors and grad students playing in their final regular season home games in a pregame ceremony before first pitch at 12pm. Game two will follow around 3pm.
