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Baseball Team Drops a Pair to UMass Boston

4/9/2006

Dave Geringer Athletic Department (508) 990-9651
Sports Information Director Tripp Athletic Center dgeringer@umassd.edu

NORTH DARTMOUTH, MA-UMass Boston scored a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the eighth inning of the nightcap and held on for a 14-12, come-from-behind win against the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth's baseball team in the second game of a Little East Conference doubleheader at the UMass Dartmouth Athletic Complex Sunday afternoon. The Beacons won the opener 13-6, and swept the doubleheader.

Chris Oram, who had entered the game as a defensive replacement for UMass Boston, began the game-winning rally in the eighth when he reached with two out when freshman shortstop Dave Ogorzalek's (Rockfall, CT/Xavier HS) throw eluded senior first baseman Dan Mancini (Marlboro, MA/Marlboro HS) and he reached second base. Sean Ketterer and Richie Montecalvo followed with consecutive doubles to break a 12-12 tie.

The Corsairs, who trailed, 12-8, tied it with three runs in the sixth and another in the eighth. Junior designated hitter Evan Britto (Rochester, MA/Old Rochester HS) doubled home one run, junior right fielder Will Mahoney (Mattapoisett, MA/Old Rochester HS) singled home another, and a third crossed on an infield out by freshman third baseman Dave McGuire (Plainville, MA/King Philip Regional HS). Mancini's sacrifice fly tied the score.

UMass Dartmouth took an early 7-2 lead, scoring three runs in the first inning and four times in the second and knocking out Beacon starter Jaime Soto. Ogorzalek doubled in a run in each inning, Britto singled in a run in the first and Mancini singled home the third run in the first and doubled home two more in the second.

The Beacons struck back, scoring four times in the third inning and five more times in the fourth and taking a 12-8 lead. Ketterer hit a grand slam homer in the third to make it 7-6, then UMB scored five unearned runs in the fourth to take an 11-8 lead. Ketterer and Montecalvo each drove in two of the runs. Bob Kniffen, the third Beacon pitcher, earned the victory and improved to 2-0. Freshman right-hander Shaun McAuliffe (Bridgewater, MA/Bridgewater-Raynham HS), who allowed just two unearned runs in four innings of work, took the loss and fell to 0-1.

UMass Boston broke the first game open by scoring five runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Derek Plante and Bob Kniffen each singled in two runs, while Soto, Montecalvo and Ketterer each drove in one.

Ketterer singled in a run in a two-run UMB first inning, but the Corsairs scored twice in the second to tie it. With one out, senior designated hitter Eric Griswold (Taunton, MA/Taunton HS) singled and moved to third on a double by sophomore left fielder Dylan Zygmont (Swansea, MA/Case HS). One run scored on Mahoney's infield grounder, the other on a passed ball by catcher Billy Gannon. Griswold and Ogorzalek singled in runs for UMD in the sixth, and two more runs crossed in the eighth-one on a single by freshman center fielder Sean Smolinsky (Hull, MA/Hull HS), the other on an error by the Beacons' Derrick Plante.

UMass Boston starter Nick Conway earned the victory, allowing three earned runs and eight hits in seven innings, walking just one and striking out seven, and improving to 3-3. UMass Dartmouth senior right-hander Lee Marques (Fall River, MA/Diman Regional HS) started and took the loss, falling to 0-1.

"Our defense killed us," said UMass Dartmouth Head Coach Bob Curran. "We didn't make the plays, especially on some bunt situations. We have to play better defense. Offensively, we swung the bats, and Sean McAuliffe came out of the bullpen for us and did a good job."

UMass Dartmouth fell to 5-13 and 2-3 in the Little East Conference with the defeat, while UMass Boston saw their record improve to 9-7 and 3-1 in LEC play. The Corsairs will return to action when they host Rhode Island College in a Little East Conference game Tuesday afternoon, while UMass Boston will host Framingham State Tuesday afternoon.

UMASS DARTMOUTH BASEBALL