EAST BOSTON, Mass. – UMass Dartmouth overcame a six-run deficit as sophomore Nate Stewart (Newnan, Ga.) ripped the go-ahead three-run double in the seventh as part of a career-best five RBI performance to make the most of junior Shane Reardon's (Kinnelon, N.J.) four relief shutout innings in the Corsairs' 10-9 victory over Suffolk on Thursday afternoon.
How it Happened
- Stewart brought home a pair with a two-run double that scored junior Nate Tellier (Attleboro, Mass.) and senior Pat Vartanian (Canton, Mass.) (2-0).
- Suffolk got to work in its half of the frame as nearly every Ram scored in the inning, with seniors Trevor Lee (Flanders, N.J.) and Connor Troio (Shrewsbury, Mass.) each picking up two-run singles along the way (8-2).
- The Blue and Gold halved the deficit on yet another homerun by junior Mike Knell (Dennis, Mass.), this one of the two-run variety as sophomore Tucker Hetherman (Webster, Mass.) had reached a moment earlier via double (8-4). UMass Dartmouth kept it going in the fifth as Tellier beat out a bases loaded ground ball (8-5) before Vartanian joined the homerun club by sending one over the left field fence an inning later (8-6).
- In the seventh, the visitors capitalized on an error by Ram catcher Steven Shamnoski (Pittstown, Pa.) that let junior JR DiSarcina (Barnstable, Mass.) bring his team within one. With the bases loaded, Stewart stepped in and rapped a double to right to empty the pond while giving the Corsairs the lead (10-8).
- The hosts kept it interesting in the ninth by scoring one and getting the tying run within 90 feet of scoring, but freshman Dan Shea (Westport, Mass.) maintained the situation and wiggled out of the jam for the save.
Inside the Numbers
- Toeing the rubber with his squad down by a score of 8-4 in the third, Reardon tossed zero after zero for four shutout innings to keep his unit in it to stage its comeback. The tri-state area product earned his second win of the season.
- Senior Chase Hussey (Claremont, N.H.) submitted a 1-2-3 seventh in a key shutdown inning for the visitors.
- UMass Dartmouth's top four hitters in the lineup combined for seven hits, seven runs, and three RBI.
- Vartanian scored a game-high three times, tying his season-best from Feb. 22 when he crossed the dish a trio of instances in the opener against Mitchell.
- Knell now has hits in 10 straight games and 18 of his last 19, with at least an extra-base hit plus a run scored in the last six contests.
Up Next
Suffolk heads to #7 Babson tomorrow at 3 p.m. The Corsairs travel to Keene State for a Little East twin bill commencing at noon on Saturday.
(Recap, photo by: Kyle Diangkinay '19, Athletic Communications Graduate Assistant)