GORHAM, Maine – After scoring just one run through the first six innings of play, baseball unloaded 10 runs over the final three innings, which included a three run game tying bomb from pinch hitter Charlie LaPaglia (Marshfield, Mass.), as the fourth-seeded Beacons defeated the third-seeded Anchormen of Rhode Island College by the final of 11-5 Wednesday afternoon at USM Baseball Field on day one of the 2015 Little East Conference Baseball Tournament.
With the victory the Beacons advance in the winner's bracket, and will face intra-state rival UMass Dartmouth tomorrow at 3:30 p.m. in game-six of the conference tournament. The win also improves the Beacons record to 23-13, while the Anchormen dropped to 21-12. RIC will face the top-seeded Huskies of the University of Southern Maine tomorrow at 12:30 p.m. in an elimination game for the Anchormen.
LaPaglia would have his best pinch hit performance of his college career as the Marshfield native went 2-for-2 with five RBI and a run scored. Also coming in and making an immediate impact was Nick Brothers (Danville, Conn.) who went 2-for-2 with three RBI and a run scored to lead the Beacons to the huge victory.
After mounting just one run on seven hits through the first six innings, sophomore Daniel Mantoni (Northbridge, Mass.) completely changed the momentum of the contest, as he ripped a solo shot to cut the Anchormen's lead to three (5-2).
Steve Consiglio (Southbury, Conn.), would then retire RIC in order to set-up a five-run top of the eight for the Beacons. Anthony Searles led off the inning with a single, but was then called out at second base on Luke Nagle fielder's choice.
Daniel Bonito would then move his teammate over 90 feet to put runners on first and second. After a fly out to left field to give the Anchormen two outs on the board, the Beacons called LaPaglia in as a pinch hitter.
On the third pitch of the senior outfielders at bat LaPaglia turned on the pitch and crushed the ball off the bottom of the scoreboard to tie the game at 5-5. Josh Lopez (New Haven, Conn.) would then reach on a single to represent the go-ahead run.
Brothers would then give the Beacons their second lead of the day an RBI triple to left center. The junior outfielder would then score on an error by the Anchormen to give UMass a 7-5 advantage.
RIC would manage to get out the inning, but the damage was done. Consiglio continued to lead in the bottom of the eighth to put together the two best innings of his college career. The junior transfer would go on to earn the victory, the first postseason win for the Connecticut native.
UMass would tack on some insurance runs in the top of the ninth as both LaPaglia and Brothers ripped a pair of two-run singles to make it a four-run inning.
With plenty of breathing room on the board, the Beacons turned to their senior closer Josh Cummiskey (Lowell, Mass.) to finish off RIC. The Anchormen did get a runner on first, but that was the only offense they would produce in the final half innings, as Cummiskey got the final three outs, all fly outs to center field to cap-off the victory.
Senior lefty Kyle Szatrowski (Agawam, Mass.) earned the no decision after five runs, three earned, on six hits. The All-Conference pitcher did not allow a hit until the fourth when RIC got a solo home run from Matt Foley. He would also strike out two, while the three Beacons pitchers did not allow a walk in the win.
RIC would manage just the seven hits, with Frank Pettinato going 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored.