DARTMOUTH, Mass. – Behind a solid effort and the first collegiate victory for rookie
Jackson Hayes, UMass Dartmouth posted a 9-1 victory over Suffolk University in non-conference action on Thursday afternoon. The Corsairs move to 7-13 overall.
UMass Dartmouth opened the game's scoring in the first inning as a ground out to first by senior centerfield
Brett Baker brought home one of two base runners for the Corsairs. Sophomore designated hitter
Luc Nivaud added a single to left to drive in junior shortstop
Cooper Wixon for the 2-0 advantage.
Suffolk answered in the top of the fourth as catcher Stephen Nardelli earned the RBI with a groundout to third to bring in the runner, but in the bottom of the fourth, Wixon answered with a two-run single to right field for the 4-1 advantage.
In the fifth inning, junior catcher
Ryan Jones dropped in a single to right, pushing the score to 5-1. The Corsairs broke open the game in the bottom of the sixth, tacking on four runs to widen the margin to 9-1.
Rookie second baseman
Jayden Cruz got things going, singling up the middle as junior third baseman
Nick Bartalini scored. Nivaud then dropped a hit into left to bring Cruz around, before a double down the left field line by rookie right fielder
Sam Bradford made it an 8-1 score.
Graduate student first baseman
Spencer Aubin made it the final 9-1 margin, coming across the plate on a wild pitch.
Wixon had an outstanding effort, going 3-for-5 with a run scored and two runs batted in. Nivaud was 2-for-3 with a run scored and two RBI, while Aubin was 1-for-3 with two runs scored. Jones had a hit with an RBI as Bartalini went 1-for-3 with two runs scored.
On the mound, Hayes pitched a solid game, throwing 80 pitches over 6.0 innings. He allowed just one run on six hits with two strikeouts. Senior
Seamus Marshall came on in relief, going 1.0 innings with a strikeout, while junior
Aiden Newhall struck out two batters in 1.0 innings. Senior
Aidan O'Donnell pitched the final inning of the game, allowing one hit.
UMass Dartmouth returns to action on Sunday, traveling to Danbury, Conn., for a 12pm meeting against WestConn. Game two of the doubleheader will begin around 3pm.
