DARTMOUTH, Mass. – UMass Boston got a run across in the top of the 10th inning and held on for a 6-5 win over UMass Dartmouth in Little East Conference baseball action on Wednesday afternoon. The Beacons move to 16-8 overall and 6-1 in conference play, while the Corsairs are now 10-10 with a 3-2 LEC clip.
After a four-run top of the third and another run in the seventh, the Beacons held a 5-3 lead, but UMass Dartmouth answered as graduate first baseman
Joe Muzio reached on a throwing error to first that saw senior second baseman
Devyn Vezina score from third. Later in the frame, the Corsairs took advantage as a wild pitch saw Muzio score to tie the game at 5-5 after seven complete.
The Beacons nearly went ahead in the top of the eighth with two on, but a ground out to short from right fielder Mariano Jimenez cut the rally short. After a lights-out pitching effort from junior
Geordan Jackson Murphy in the top of the ninth – which included two strikeouts – the Corsairs had a chance of their own with two on, but the Beacons cut down that effort as sophomore shortstop
Cooper Wixon struck out swinging to end the inning.
That set up the drama for the top of the 10th as – following a leadoff walk – UMB saw second baseman Nick Farnacci reach on an error, followed by a reach on a fielder's choice to set up bases loaded. Centerfielder Breon Parker then reached on another fielder's choice as a run scored on a throwing error for the 6-5 advantage.
In the bottom of the 10th, senior right fielder
Scott Cromack lined a shot into right field. After a hit-by-pitch to Vezina with two outs on the board, the Corsairs looked to equalize the game, but UMB got Baker to pop up to short to end the inning and the game.
For the Corsairs, Muzio went 1-for-3 – including a home run to right in the bottom of the first - with two runs batted in and three runs scored, while Cromack was 2-for-5 with an RBI. Sophomore third baseman
Nick Bartalini had a run scored.
On the mound, sophomore
Dillon Harding shouldered the loss, allowing one run on one hit with a strikeout and a walk in the 10th. Jackson Murphy struck out two batters over 1.0 innings, while junior Aiden O'Donnell pitched 2.0 innings, allowing one hit with two strikeouts. Junior
Seamus Marshall was the first reliever of the afternoon, pitching 3.0 innings with a hit and a run allowed with two K's, while starter
Aiden Newhall pitched 3.0 innings, allowing four runs on six hits with two strikeouts.
UMass Dartmouth returns to action on Thursday, traveling to Worcester for a 3:30pm non-conference tilt against Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
