AUBURNDALE, Fla. – The top-ranked Beacons closed out their 2018 spring trip with a convincing win as they defeated 11th/22nd ranked St. Scholastica (MN) by the final of 13-6 Friday afternoon at the Winter Haven Complex.
THE BASICS
#1/1 UMass Boston 13, #11/22 St. Scholastica 6
UMass Boston (9-2)
St. Scholastica (5-2)
HOW IT HAPPENED
After squandering multiple opportunities with either bases loaded or runners on second and third, the Beacons finally blew the game wide open in the seventh. Prior to that inning, UMB was barely hanging on to a one-run lead through five complete innings.
Ryan McCormick (Cumberland, R.I.) started the scoring spree in the seventh on an RBI single through the left side to make it 5-3 at the time. From Dave Murphy (Plymouth, Mass.) would double the Beacons lead on an RBI single of his own. Chris Fowler (Barnstable, Mass.) got in on the action on an sac-fly, while Nick Herzog and Anthony Cecere (Wakefield, Mass.) each knocked in one run on RBI singles to make it 9-3.
In the eighth the Beacons kept on rolling thanks to an RBI double by McCormick which made it 11-3. UMB sealed the victory in the ninth with a Sal Frosceno (Derby, Conn.) bases loaded walk and an Eddie Riley (Quincy, Mass.) two-run double to make it a 10-run game.
St. Scholastica tried to cut into the deficit by adding three runs of their own, but that late inning rally was short lived as Alex Carusotto (Pittsfield, Mass.) closed out the inning with three strikeouts.
Nick Herzog (Riverhead, N.Y.) got UMB on the board in Friday's contest with a two-run homer in the top of the second. St. Scholastica would tie the game at 2-2 in the fourth, but UMB would respond right back in the fifth with two runs to make it a 4-2 ballgame. St. Scholastica would come within one run of tying the Beacons for a second time in the bottom of the fifth, but they would settle for the lone score.
Fernando Burgos (Hyde Park, Mass.) earned his second win of the year (2-0) after going five complete innings. The righty allowed three runs on seven hits, but did pick-up five K's, and allowed just one walk.
McCormick finished 3-for-6 in the victory and added two more RBI to bring his total to seven in the last two games. Riley also had three hits, as he finished 3-for-4 with two RBI, three walks, and a run scored.
BY THE NUMBERS
- Friday's contest marked the first-ever meeting between the Beacons and St. Scholastica
- The Beacons finished their spring trip with a program record 6-2
- Beacons finished the trip 2-1 against nationally-ranked opponents with wins over SUNY Oswego, and St. Scholastica; Beacons lone loss was to Rowan
WHO'S NEXT
The Beacons will return to their home field on Tuesday when they host Roger Williams University at 3 p.m.