WILLIMANTIC, Conn. – Powered by two stellar performances from starting pitchers Ryan Qualey and Adam Maher, including the first career no-hitter for Qualey in a 13-1 win in game one. The Corsairs swept Western Connecticut with a 13-1 victory in game one and 15-3 win in game two, both in 7.0 innings. UMass Dartmouth improved to 10-12-1 overall and remain perfect at 4-0 in the Little East. The Wolves drop to 3-14 overall and are now 0-4 in conference play.
With his performance in game one, Qualey's no-hitter marks the second of the season for the Corsairs, coming just 16 days after Maher's no-hitter against Southern Maine (3/22). The senior hurler went the full 7.0 innings, allowing just one run and no hits with six strikeouts.
After allowing a run in the first inning, Qualey (2-2) was near-perfect the rest of the way. He responded by putting away the next 15 consecutive batters to retire the side for each of the second through sixth innings. Qualey's dominance allowed the Corsairs to pull ahead, starting with a six-run second inning. The rally was highlighted by a two-RBI single from grad student right fielder Joe Muzio, followed by another RBI single from senior DH Jared Neikam.
UMass Dartmouth continued to add to their lead with a pair of runs in the third and fifth innings, as they went up 10-1 through 5.0 innings. The Corsairs scored on a pair of sacrifice flies in the third from freshman shortstop Cooper Wixon and junior second baseman Devyn Vezina. In the fifth, the runs came off the bats of Muzio and Neikam once again as they each notched RBI singles.
The game was finished after 7.0 innings, as the Corsairs led by over ten runs thanks to another run in the sixth and two more in the top of the seventh, capped off by a two-RBI single from senior first baseman T.J. Keefe. UMass Dartmouth took game one by a 13-1 margin.
UMass Dartmouth's bats were led by Muzio in game one, who went 2-for-5 with three RBI's and a run scored. Vezina went 1-for-1 with two RBI's, two walks, two stolen bases and two runs. Neikam batted 2-for-4 and tallied two RBI's.
The Corsairs carried the momentum over into game two, getting out to an 8-1 advantage after the first two innings. The Corsairs struck first when freshman centerfielder Nick Bartalini tagged up to score on a sac fly from grad student first baseman Jake SanAntonio. The two-run first inning was capped off by an RBI-single from Possi to bring in Muzio. The Corsairs followed that up with another six runs in the second, starting with an RBI-single from Bartalini to bring in Wixon. He was able to steal second and third base before scoring on a Vezina single. The next three batters were struck by pitches or walked, bringing in a run and leaving the bases loaded for grad student right fielder Anthony Keefe. Keefe capitalized with a base-clearing double to put UMass Dartmouth up 8-1.
Maher kept the Wolves at bay with a sensational first four innings, where he had allowed just one unearned run on two hits, striking out 10 of the 16 batters he faced in four innings. Maher (3-1) finished his day after 4.1 innings of work, allowing three runs (one earned) on three hits with 10 strikeouts.
UMass Dartmouth once again caused the game to end after just 7.0 innings, tallying three more runs in the sixth and another four in the seventh. The sixth-inning runs were brought in on a two-RBI double from Muzio, followed by a pair of sac flies. In the seventh inning, Vezina added onto his great day with a two-RBI triple. He was followed up just two batters later by another two-RBI triple, coming off the bat of Possi. Sophomore reliever Geordan Jackson Murphy closed out the game by retiring three of four batters as the Corsairs took the 15-3 victory in game two.
In game two, the Corsairs saw Vezina go 4-for-5 with three RBI's and three runs. Bartalini went 3-for-5 with an RBI, three stolen bases and three runs. Anthony Keefe was 2-for-5 with four RBI's while Muzio went 1-for-2 with two walks and scored four runs.
UMass Dartmouth baseball continues conference action on Tuesday when they host UMass Boston. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30PM in Dartmouth.