New Bedford, MA --- Sophomore teammates Adam Barry (Auburn, MA/Holy Name) and Mike Powers (Weymouth, MA) combined for five base-knocks and five RBIs as they both helped pace Worcester State to a 11-9 victory over UMass Dartmouth in ten innings this evening at the Paul Walsh Field.
Trailing by one score entering the top of the ninth, the Lancers (23-14) pushed across the equalizer to put the game at 9-9 and send the contest into extra innings.
Following a sacrifice by sophomore Jake Ryan (Whitinsville, MA), Barry rapped out a single to left field which scored junior Steve Wallace (Auburn, MA). Senior Zach George (Attleboro, MA) tried to come home for the insurance tally on the same play, but he was cut down at the plate by the left fielder.
After throwing a scoreless bottom frame by sophomore Tyler Barrie (Oxford, MA), the Blue and Gold put up two more runs in the top of the tenth.
As one man stood on every base, senior Nick Gikas (Danvers, MA) drive in the tying score on a fielder's choice bunt RBI that the third-baseman tried to make the play at the plate. Gikas eventually came around to score on an errant throw by the catcher trying to keep him honest at third following successful 4-2 out at home.
Barrie had runners on the corners in the bottom half of the stanza, however, he ended the game by fanning his next batter swinging and a fly out to right field which sealed up the win.
Overall, Barrie (3-2) hurled four frames of solid relief giving up two runs (one earned) on six hits with five strikeouts and one free pass.
Junior David Tarr (Easton, MA) was saddled with the setback for UMD. Tarr (3-2) permitted two runs (one earned) on two hits to go with three strikeouts and one walk.
Worcester State originally jumped on the board with the 2-0 contest in the top of the first. George touched the plate on misplayed ball by the left fielder and then Barry notched an RBI ground out.
UMass Dartmouth (19-14) answered by using the long ball to score the next four tallies as senior Ryan Medeiros (Acushnet, MA) jacked a solo shot for his sixth and senior Cory DeMedeiros (Fall River, MA/Durfee) knocked out a two-run blast.
The visitors came back in the top of the fourth and knotted up the contest at 4-4. With two outs in the frame, Powers drove in senior David Ruggiero (Peabody, MA) before Gikas traded places on a single up the middle to score Powers.
Worcester State ballooned the margin up to 8-4 in the fifth by taking advantage of a miscue in the frame. Powers diced a two-run single through the left side of the infield as Ruggiero and senior Cody Osburn (Sacramento, CA) both had run producing at-bats.
The hosts though chipped away at the deficit over the next two innings, starting the rally on an RBI solo saftey by senior Alex Newton (Saco, ME).
In the bottom of the seventh, freshman Josh O'Neill (Halifax, MA) scampered home on a misplayed ground ball by the right fielder and DeMedeiros crushed a two-run homer for his ninth of the campaign to tie up the score 8-8.
UMass Dartmouth took over the 9-8 edge in the eighth. Following a walk and swipe of second by freshman Ervin Kantardzic (Roslindale, MA), the Corsairs manufactured the go-ahead score entering the last of the ninth on an RBI single by O'Neill down the right field line.
DeMedieros, Newton and freshman Jose Vazquez (Roxbury, MA) all finished with three-hits to pace a 16-hit attack for the hosts. In all, DeMedieros had four RBIs and three runs scored on the day.
Barry went 3-for-6 with two RBIs as Powers and Ryan both contributed two base-knocks each in a 12-hit ledger. Ryan and Ruggiero also made two trips to home plate.
Worcester State awaits word of the MASCAC Tournament seedings tomorrow as they will receive either the second or third seed in the league playoffs. UMass Dartmouth continues their season with a 3:30 road trip to Brandies on Wednesday.
In the victory, the Lancers took the rubber game of their season series as the Blue and Gold have been victorious in each of their three extra inning contests in 2015.