AUBURNDALE, Fla. – With runners on first and second in the bottom of the ninth inning, senior Dave Murphy (Plymouth, Mass.) drove in the game-winning run to give baseball a 4-3 walk off win over the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Friday afternoon at the Winter Haven Park Complex.
THE BASICS
UMass Boston 4, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh 3
UMass Boston (5-4)
UW-Oshkosh (2-2)
HOW IT HAPPENED
Tied at 3-3 heading into the bottom of the ninth, Eddie Riley (Quincy, Mass.) who led off the inning with a single stood at second base. With only one out on the board, Murphy stepped in as a pinch hitter. The senior recorded the clutch hit as he ripped a single through the left side, which sent Riley off and running. By the time the Oshkosh leftfielder collected the ball, Riley was on his way home and scored the game-winning run to cap-off a very dramatic 24 hours for the Beacons.
Yesterday, UMB lost a pair extra inning contests, but with a win today closed out their spring trip with a winning record (4-3).
UMass Boston did not waste any time getting on the scoreboard as Dan Mantoni (Northbridge, Mass.) drove in the first run of the day on a single back to the pitcher. The hit plated Sal Frosceno (Derby, Conn.), who recorded the Beacons first hit of the contest, before picking-up a stolen base.
Mantoni, who was also on the hill for the Beacons, recorded his lone hit in the first inning, as the Beacons combined for seven hits in the win. On the mound, Mantoni had a strong showing going seven complete innings. He struck out five batters, and allowed two runs, one earned, on five hits, while also giving up a pair of walks. Friday's win went to JT Morin (Wilton, Conn.), who closed out the final two innings. He allowed just one run on one hit, a homer in the eighth, while also finishing with four K's.
UMB's second and third runs came in the bottom of the fifth inning. Joey Rogers (Dighton, Mass.) drove in the Beacons second run, on his first collegiate hit, a triple, which plated Josh Lopez (New Haven, Conn.). Nick Herzog (Riverhead, N.Y.) drove in UMB's third run on a sac-fly to center field, which scored Rogers.
Unfortunately, the Beacons three-run lead was short lived as the Titans tacked on a pair of runs in the top of the sixth, before tying the game on a solo homer in the eighth. Luckily the Beacons would end up the winning side of the walk off in the ninth to close out a very competitive spring trip.
BY THE NUMBERS
- The Beacons went into the contest ranked second on the New England Baseball Journal Top-10 Preseason Poll
- UMass Boston finished with seven hits, while the Titans had six hits
- The Beacons winning record on their spring trip marked their second in the last three seasons
- Friday's contest marked the first meeting between the Beacons and the Titans
- Frosceno ended the trip with a team leading .480 average and 12 hits
- The Beacons pitching staff combined for 65 strikeouts and allowed just 27 walks
WHO'S NEXT
The Beacons will host Roger Williams University on Tuesday at 3 p.m.