AUBURNDALE, Fla. — The UMass Boston baseball team took advantage of nine walks and two hit batters to come away with an 11-4 victory over Wheaton College (Mass.) this afternoon at Etherton Field in Auburndale, Fla. as part of the RussMatt Central Baseball Invitational.
The Lyons slip to 4-3 on the season, while the Beacons improve to a perfect 7-0.
UMass Boston scored five runs over the first two frames, including three in the first and two in the second. Wheaton cut the deficit to two with a pair of runs in the fourth and a run in the six, but a six-run sixth by the Beacons was too much for the Lyons to overcome.
Sophomore third baseman Casey Wensley (Raynham, Mass.) led Wheaton at the plate, going 3-4 with a double, a stolen base and two runs scored, while senior left fielder Kevin Matos (Lawrence, Mass.) provided the production with a two-run homer and a sacrifice fly to knock in three runs. Senior first base Timmy Wagner (Hingham, Mass.) was 2-4 with a double, a run scored and a walk. Junior starting pitcher Ben Oliveira (Somerset, Mass.) suffered the loss to drop to 0-1 after giving up six runs on six hits and four walks to go with five strikeouts in five and a third innings of work. First year right-handed reliever Jack Ritchie (Raynham, Mass.) closed out the day on the mound for the Lyons, hurling two and a third innings of hitless ball to go with three strikeouts in his collegiate debut.
Senior catcher Mike Meagher (Marstons Mills, Mass.) was 2-3 with two runs scored, a run batted in, a stolen base and a walk for UMass Boston. Senior left fielder Mariano Jimenez (Waltham, Mass.) reached base three times with a single and a pair of walks to go with two runs scored, an RBI and a stolen base, while graduate student Richard Williams (Georgetown, Mass.) was 1-1 with two runs batted in and a run scored. Senior right-handed starter Ross Dexter (Milton, Mass.) earned the victory to improve to 2-0. He allowed three runs on six hits and two walks, while fanning six batters in six innings of work.
The Beacons loaded the bases with two outs behind walks issued to Jiminez and graduate student corner infielder Bostyn Burris (Highland Village, Texas) to open the frame and a free pass drawn by sophomore designated hitter Brandon Gaer (Rocky Hill, Conn.). Sophomore shortstop Eliot Miles (Portsmouth, N.H.) drove a bases clearing double to the right center gap to give UMass Boston a 3-0 lead.
UMB added two more runs in the bottom of the second to take a 5-0 advantage. The Beacons pounded out four straight hits to begin the inning, including back-to-back singles from Meagher and junior center fielder Breon Parker (Springfield, Mass.) to set up an RBI single to left field off the bat of Jiminez to bump the margin to 4-0. Following an out, Burris singled to reload the bases, before Gaer worked a walk to force in the fifth UMass Boston run.
The Lyons got two runs back in the fourth to cut the deficit to 5-2. Wagner doubled down the left field line and Matos put two runs on the board in a hurry with his first home run of the season – a two-out, two-run blast over the right field fence to pull Wheaton within three.
The Lyons continued to chip away with another run in the sixth to close to within 5-3. Wensley opened the inning by slapping an opposite field single down the left field line, before stealing second base. Sophomore catcher Tyler Bellan (Franklin, Mass.) came through with a single to center to plate Wensley with the third run.
The Beacons got the run back and then some, scoring six times in the bottom of the inning to increase their advantage to 11-3. UMass Boston loaded the bases again when Meagher singled and Jiminez and Parker each drew consecutive base on balls. Burris hit a sacrifice fly to center to make it 6-3 and junior right fielder Justin Gouveia (Dartmouth, Mass.) was intentionally walked to load the bases. Gaer forced in a run after getting struck by a pitch and Williams followed with a two-run pinch single to right center to knock in a pair of runs to give UMB a 9-3 cushion. Miles walked to push the sacks full and junior second baseman Nick Farnacci (Farmingdale, N.Y.) became the second batter in the inning to get hit by a pitch to force in a run. Meagher drew the fifth walk of the frame to plate the final run of the day for the Beacons as one of 11 batters to come to the plate in the inning.
Wheaton rallied for a run in the eighth to slice the margin to 11-4. Wensley reached on an infield single to lead off the inning, before Wagner was issued a walk. Both runners moved into scoring position following a balk. Matos drove in his third run of the afternoon with a sacrifice fly to left field.
The Lyons return to action tomorrow when they take on Webster University at 1:30 p.m. in Auburndale, while UMass Boston plays No. 17 Rowan University tomorrow at 3:15 p.m. at the same place.
