DAVENPORT, Fla. – Backed by a strong offensive effort – including a six-run effort in the fourth – the UMass Dartmouth baseball team defeated Worcester State, 16-6 in RussMatt Tournament action at the Northeast Regional Park. The Corsairs move to 5-8 overall, while the Lancers are now 0-3.
Both teams jumped out to a quick offensive effort as the visiting Lancers capitalized with a runner on third as Riggs Catlin grounded out to short to bring home Kevin Doyle for a 1-0 lead. The Corsairs answered in the bottom half of the first as rookie second baseman
Jayden Cruz doubled, followed by a single through the left side by junior shortstop
Cooper Wixon.
Wixon stole second and Cruz scored on a fielding error to tie the game. Then a single to third by rookie right fielder
Sam Bradford brought home Wixon for the 2-1 lead after the opening inning. Following a scoreless second, both teams went to work once more in the third with Catlin hitting a three-run home run to left field for a 4-2 lead.
The Corsairs answered in the bottom of the third as Cruz tripled down the left field line. Graduate student first baseman
Spencer Aubin then reached on a fielder's choice as Cruz came around to score. A single to center by rookie designated hitter
Jake Hayes, coupled with another single – this time from senior left fielder
Liam Blesi – tied the game at 4-4.
Sophomore second baseman
Luc Nivaud pushed the home team ahead with a double to left center as both Hayes and Blesi came around to score and make it a 6-4 contest.
UMass Dartmouth broke open the game in the bottom of the fourth inning, pushing across six runs for a 12-4 advantage. A double down the left field line by Wixon drove in Cruz – who had walked earlier and stole second for the team's seventh run. Nivaud was then hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to make it a four-run (8-4) game.
Rookie center fielder
Brock Gibbons then belted a two-run single up the middle to push the lead to 10-4. The Corsairs went on to add two more runs following a pitching change as Cruz reached on a throwing error, allowing both Nivaud and Gibbons to score for the 12-4 advantage.
The Corsairs went on to add two more runs in the bottom of the fifth and the sixth – which included a two-run home run to left by Bradford, opening up a 16-5 advantage for UMD. Worcester State added a final run in the seventh, but the Corsairs earned the victory.
Junior
Aiden Newhall earned the victory, allowing four runs on four hits over 5.0 innings. He struck out six batters and walked just two. Classmate Gia Arzuaga pitched the final 2.0 innings of relief, allowing two runs on two hits with two strikeouts.
Nivaud went 1-for-2 with a run scored and four runs batted in, while Bradford was 3-for-5 with two runs scored and three RBI. Wixon was 2-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI with Gibbons going 1-for-2 with a run scored and two RBI.
The Corsairs return to action on Monday, taking on the University of Mount Saint Vincent at 10:30am at Lake Myrtle Park in Auburndale.
