PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Despite a late comeback, the UMass Dartmouth baseball team shouldered a tough 13-10 loss at Rhode Island College on Tuesday in Little East Conference action. The Corsairs move to 18-19 overall with a 10-4 mark in conference play.
UMass Dartmouth opened the game's scoring in the top of the first as an RBI single to center off the bat of rookie right fielder
Sam Bradford made it a 1-0 game. In the second inning, a sacrifice fly from rookie shortstop
Jayden Cruz pushed the Corsairs out to a 2-0 lead.
The homestanding Anchormen countered with three runs in the bottom of the third and a pair of scores in the bottom of the fourth to open a 5-2 advantage. That lead held until the top of the sixth when a three-run homer to left off the bat of junior third baseman
Nick Bartalini tied the game at 5-all. The lead was shortlived as RIC posted two runs in the bottom of the frame for a 7-5 margin.
The Corsairs worked to get back into it, kicking it off with a double down the left field line from junior catcher
Ryan Jones that brought in rookie
Mike Huntington to narrow the gap to 7-6. Senior first baseman
Jake San Antonio then reached first on a dropped fly ball to bring in Jones and tie the contest at 7-all.
Rhode Island answered in the latter half of the frame, scoring six unanswered to open a 13-7 advantage through seven innings. The Corsairs responded in the top of the eighth as senior centerfielder and captain
Brett Baker singled to left to bring in Cruz, while a single to center from Huntington drove in junior shortstop and captain
Cooper Wixon. A sacrifice fly from Jones made it a 13-10 score.
The Anchormen got solid work in the top of the ninth to shut down the Corsairs offense and seal the victory.
The Corsairs saw Bartalini finished 2-for-5 on the day with a run scored and three runs batted in. Jones was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI, while Huntington was 2-for-2 with a run scored and an RBI.
On the mound, senior starter
Adam Maher pitched 3.0 innings, allowing three runs on three hits with two strikeouts, while classmate
AJ Rourke allowed four runs (3 earned) on five hits over 3.0 innings of relief. Junior
Aiden Newhall shouldered the loss, allowing four runs on three hits in 0.1 innings, while classmate
Dillon Harding surrendered two runs on two hits over 0.2. Senior
Ray Boutiette came on for the final inning, allowing one hit with a strikeout in the final inning.
UMass Dartmouth returns to action on Friday, traveling to Vermont State University Castleton for the Little East regular season doubleheader finale. First pitch is set for 12pm.
