AUBURNDALE, Fla. – An Eddie Riley (Quincy, Mass.) RBI single in the top of the ninth inning proved to be the deciding score as number 1/1 baseball held on to earn a 4-3 win over RIT Tuesday afternoon at Lake Myrtle Maine Field.

THE BASICS

#1/1 UMass Boston 4, RIT 3

UMass Boston (8-1)
RIT (2-2)

HOW IT HAPPENED

Riley's game-winning single plated catcher Jack Harrington (Barnstable, Mass.) who reached base after being hit by a pitch to lead off the final inning.  The junior transfer then moved over to second base after Sal Frosceno (Derby, Conn.) laid down a sacrifice bunt.  Riley would then rip a single to left field, which sent Harrington on his way home.

After RIT allowed the lone run, they looked to walk-off or at-least for extras in the bottom of the ninth.  RIT nearly accomplished that feat as they put runners on the corners with no outs on the scoreboard.  They would make it a two run-game on an RBI single from Daniel Capra.  The Beacons would get their first out of the crucial inning as they got Capra at second on a fielder's choice.  The final run for the Tigers would come on a sac-fly, but would put UMB just one out away from clinching the victory.

Fernando Burgos (Hyde Park, Mass.), who came in the ninth inning got his final batter to ground out to second base to seal the win for the top-ranked Beacons.  Burgos collected his first save of the year, while Josh Gerson (Melville, N.Y.) picked-up the victory.  The starter earned his first win after going five strong innings, in which he allowed just one hit, while also walking two and striking out two.

When Gerson left the contest the Beacons led 3-0, but quickly saw that lead cut two in the sixth when RIT ripped a solo home run.  After that UMB looked to Bryan Kaufman (Farmingdale, N.Y.) to keep the Beacons slim lead.  The righty lasted 2.2 innings but was on the hook for the two runs in the ninth inning.

Ryan McCormick (Cumberland, R.I.) led the Beacons offense with a 3-for-4 showing, while Nick Herzog (Riverhead, N.Y.) was the only other Beacon to record multiple hits.  The New York native finished 2-for-4, and had the team's only extra base hit, an RBI triple in the top of the third.  Both players each recorded an RBI and a run scored. 

BY THE NUMBERS

• The Beacons are now 2-0 against RIT, with both meetings occurring in the last three days
• During the contest the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) announced that the Beacons were the number one ranked team on their first national poll of 2018
• UMB is also ranked first for the second straight week on the D3Baseball.com National Poll
• The Beacons led the contest with eight hits, while Tigers finished with seven, six of which came in the sixth inning or later
• With the win head coach Brendan Eygabroat is now 11 wins away from his 300^th

WHO'S NEXT

The Beacons will enjoy a much-needed day off tomorrow and will take on Spalding University on Thursday at 1 p.m. at Lake Myrtle Park Main Field.