BOSTON, Mass. – Six consecutive scoreless innings, coupled with a Dave Murphy (Plymouth, Mass.) game-winning three-run homer gave the seventh/eighth ranked Beacons a crucial 9-7 in-region win as they defeated Western New England University Wednesday evening at Monan Park.

THE BASICS

#7/8 UMass Boston 9, Western New England University 7

UMass Boston (29-7)
Western New England University (26-13)

HOW IT HAPPENED

After allowing all seven Golden Bears runs in the first three innings, the Beacons had their work cutout for them in their final non-conference regular season game of 2018.  WNEU scored a combined four runs in the top of the third, and would not plate another run for the remainder of the contest.

Immediately following those four runs in the top of the third, the Beacons cut the deficit to four thanks to back-to-back runs in the bottom half of the same frame.

The Beacons would then get the biggest lift of the night in the fifth, when Murphy capped-off a five-run inning with a towering three-run homer over the monster wall in left field.  The Beacons would take advantage of a WNEU error, their second of the game to start off the fifth inning comeback.  Charlie Huegi (Sandy Hook, Conn.) plated the first run of the inning on an RBI single to make it 7-4. 

A sac-fly by Ryan McCormick (Cumberland, R.I.) then made it a two-run game (7-5), as he nearly missed a homer of his own with the ball landing just shy of the right field wall.

Murphy's bomb came with a 2-2 count as the senior infielder recorded perhaps his biggest hit in the last three weeks.  UMB tried to add to their quickly growing lead, but were held to just the one run lead.

WNEU's best chance to tie the ball game came in the top of the eighth inning, when they had runners on the corners and only one out on the scoreboard.  However senior relief pitcher Alex Carusotto (Pittsfield, Mass.) managed to turn a perfect 1-6-3 double play to get out of the inning.  UMB's lone insurance run came in the same inning when McCormick ripped an RBI double down the right field line, which allowed Huegi to score. 

Sitting with the two-run lead the Beacons turned to closer Bobby Tramondozzi (Peabody, Mass.) to close the lid on the in-region match-up.  The righty retired the first batter he faced before allowing his only walk of the inning.  From there he would get the next batter to flyout, before striking out the final batter of the contest.

Tramondozzi collected his ninth save of the year in the win, while Mike Doherty picked-up the victory to improve to 3-0. 

McCormick finished 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored, while Huegi went 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored as well.  Murphy was 2-for-3 with a run scored and the three crucial RBI. 

BY THE NUMBERS

• The Beacons have now won five straight over Western New England and are a perfect 3-0 at home against the Golden Bears
• In total 13 pitchers stepped on the mound for the two teams
• Tylor Arruda (New Bedford, Mass.) got the start and lasted 2.2 innings and allowed the seven runs on six hits
• Chris Munro (Marshfield, Mass.) had a team-high three strikeouts
• The Beacons pitching staff did not allow a hit over the final 4.2 innings

WHO'S NEXT

The Beacons will host Rhode Island College on Friday in a crucial Little East Conference doubleheader.  First pitch is scheduled for noon.  Prior the start of game two the Beacons will honor their senior members.