BROCKTON, Mass. – A three-run homer by Jose Pena (Boston, Mass.) and Kyle Thebado (Marlborough, Mass.) sparked what would become an 11-run seventh and eighth innings as baseball (9-8) bounced back from a dismal start to defeat the Monks of St. Joseph's College of Maine (14-7) by the final of 11-5 Sunday afternoon at Campanelli Stadium.
The Beacons, who trailed 5-0 going into the bottom of the seventh, got a huge lift off of what would become a career day for Pena. The junior infielder recorded his first four hit day for the Beacons as he went 4-for-5 with three RBI and a run scored. Three of his four hits were for extra bases as he recorded a pair of doubles to go along with his long ball in the seventh.
Thebado, who entered the game as a pinch runner in the seventh, stepped to the plate in the eighth and on the first pitch crushed a towering home run over the left field wall. The bomb marked the first of Thebado's college career. It would also account for three of the Beacons game-clinching five runs in the bottom of the eighth.
On the hill Matt Dziok (Southampton, Mass.) got it done in the final 2.1 as he allowed just one hit, while striking out two to earn his first win of the year. Senior Michael Boughton (New Britain, Conn.) got the start in Sunday's contest and pitched extremely as he struck out four through 6.2 innings. Of the five runs that the senior allowed, only three were earned, as the Beacons defense struggled to back up the righty.
The inability to make the plays when it mattered cost the Beacons early and often as the Monks got on the scoreboard in the first on an unearned run. They would than tack on another one run in the fifth and sixth innings. A two-run seventh seemed to take all the wind out of the Beacons sails, however with gusts reaching near 20 M.P.H.; the Beacons knew that they were not done yet.
In the six-run seventh inning, freshman Tyler Kirwan got things started with a single through the left side with only one out on the scoreboard. A hit by pitch would then put runners on first and second, and that's all Pena need as he ripped a line shot over the left field wall cutting the Monks lead to two with just one swing of the bat (5-3).
After a pitching change, Jamill Moquette (Boston, Mass.) was walked, bringing senior Matt Consiglio (Southbury, Conn.) to the plate. Looking to cap off a solid weekend, Consiglio ripped a double to left field, which plated Moquette making it just a one run game, still with one out on the board.
The Monks would get record the second out of the inning, but that would do little to slow the Beacons red hot streak. Gerard Florentino (West Roxbury, Mass.) would plate Consiglio on his RBI single up the middle. After the freshman designated hitter reached first, Thebado stepped in as a pinch runner and wasted no time stealing second base on a very close play.
Thebado would then represent the Beacons go-ahead run when Charles LaPaglia (Marshfield, Mass.) drove his teammate in on his RBI single down the left field line. Down by one, St. Joseph's would get the final out of the inning in the form of a strikeout.
With all the momentum now in the Beacons corner, St. Joseph's stepped to the plate to try and build some type of rally. However, they were quickly dispatched by the solid pitching of Dziok, setting up would become the deciding inning.
Moving into the bottom half of the eighth, the Monks would once again retire the leadoff batter, but just like the seventh freshman Nick Brothers (Fort Myers, Fla.) would reach first on his second hit by pitch of the afternoon. The outfielder would then move all the way to third after Pena ripped his second double to left center. Moquette would then be intentionally walked to load the bases with only one out.
Looking to get the out at home, the Monks went right after Consiglio. Showing complete poise, the senior waited for the perfect pitch to line the ball through the left side scoring a pair of Beacons runs to make it now a three-run ball game (8-5). St. Joseph's did manage to get another out with runners at second and third, but that did not last long as Thebado kindly cleared the bases with his three run monster making it 11-5 in favor of UMB.
The ninth would be the fastest inning of the entire game as the Beacons got two Monks to groundout, while the other struck out swinging on a wicked Dziok curve ball.
For St. Joseph's Nic Lops went 2-for-4 with two RBI and a two runs scored. On the mound Jimmy Kennedy went 6.1 and allowed just one Beacon run on four hits, while also striking out four. However once, he left the game the Monks bullpen failed to keep the Beacons off the board with Corey McNamara getting the loss after surrendering three runs on two hits in a 0.1 inning of work. The Monks entered Sunday's contest ranked 21st and 30th on the most recent D3Baseball.com Top-25 and ABCA Top-30 National Polls respectively.
Baseball returns to action tomorrow when they travel to Framingham State University for a 3:30 p.m. non-conference game.