BABSON PARK, Mass.—Sophomore Daniel Mantoni (Northbridge, Mass.) went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI, while junior Nick Brothers (Danville, Calif.) scored twice and drove in a pair of runs as visiting UMass Boston defeated Babson College, 8-4, in non-conference baseball action on Thursday afternoon at Govoni Field.
With its 10th win in the last 12 games, UMass Boston is now 20-13 overall, while Babson sees its season come to an end at 15-19. The 20th win marks third time in program history that the Beacons have reached that mark, having won 21 games in 2002 and 32 in 2010.
Senior Todd Ezold (Westfield, Mass.) went 2-for-3 with three walks and two RBI, while first-year Josh Lopez (New Haven, Conn.) added two hits and scored twice for the Beacons. Junior Ezequiel Sanchez (Manati, Puerto Rico) had two hits, including a double, and classmate Luke Nagle (Pembroke, Mass.) had a pair of knocks and drove in a run as part of a 13-hit attack. Owen Shea went 3-for-4 with a home run and three runs batted in to lead the Beavers.
Adam Ayala had a pair of stolen bases and scored once, while senior Dillon Gonzalez went 1-for-4 with an RBI in his final collegiate game. Shea gave Babson a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third with his lead-off blast over the wall in left. UMass Boston tied the game in the top of the fourth as Mantoni led off with a walk and later scored following a pair of errors, but the Beavers responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame.
Jack Halpin walked and Sean MacPhee singled to center to start the inning before coming around to score on a two-out base hit up the middle by Shea to make it 3-1. The lead was short-lived though, as the Beacons scored three times in the top of the fifth.
Ezold drove in Brothers with a one-out single through the left side, and Nagle followed a fielder's choice and a base on balls with a bases-loaded walk to score Mantoni. Junior Trevor Bouvier (Salem, N.H.) singled through the right side on the next pitch to drive in sophomore Anthony Searles (Shelton, Conn.) for a 4-3 edge. The Green and White pulled even in the bottom of the fifth as Ayala reached on an infield single, stole second and third on consecutive pitches and then came around to score on a base hit to center by Gonzalez. UMass Boston regained the lead for good in the six though, as Lopez led off with a single and later scored on an RBI base hit by Ezold to make it 5-4.
The Beavers recorded two quick outs in the top of the seventh before UMass Boston scored three times to make it a four-run game. Sanchez doubled to left, Lopez was hit by a pitch, and after moving up a base on a passed ball, Brothers smacked a two-run single down the left field line. Following a pitching change, Mantoni singled through the left side to bring Brothers in for an 8-4 lead.
Bryan Kaufman (Farmingdale, N.Y.) earned his first career win for the Beacons, giving up four runs on six hits over five innings. Junior Steve Consiglio (Southbury, Conn.) worked the final four innings, allowing just one hit, to earn his first save of the year. Teddy Carey fell to 0-2 for Babson, giving up four unearned runs on seven hits while striking out four and walking five in five innings of work. Classmate Brett Ender struck out two while not allowing a hit over the final two innings.
The Beacons will close out their regular season tomorrow afternoon when they host Western Connecticut State University at 3:30 p.m. in a Little East Conference doubleheader. The Beacons will honor their eight senior members prior to the start of the twinbill.
Information for this release provided by Babson College Sports Information Department