Winter Haven, Fl.- Freshman Cody Ewest (Warrenton, Ga.) collected three hits, including a grandslam to lift Becker College past UMass Dartmouth 13-8 in non-conference men's baseball action.
Becker got the scoring started in the bottom of the first inning when Keith Kandel (Fresno, Calif.) scored from third base on a wild pitch. UMass answered with two runs of their own in the top of the second inning when Anthony Fiorita (North Reading, Mass.) drove in two runs with a double to deep centefield, giving the Corsairs a 2-1 lead. The Hawks tied the game in the bottom half of the second inning when Cody Ewest drove in Chris Flanders (Londonderry, N.H.) from third base with a single through the left side of the infield.
The Corsairs responded in the top of the third inning when Matt Worden (New Bedford, Mass.) drove a 1-1 pitch over the rightfield fence for a two run homerun, giving UMass a 4-2 adavantage. UMass added to their lead in the top of the fifth inning when Dan DeMello (Taunton, Mass.) drove in two runs with a two out double into the left centerfield gap, putting the Corsairs in front 6-2.
The score remained the same until the Hawks rallied back in the bottom of the fifth inning. With the bases loaded and one out Cody Ewest ripped the first pitch he saw over the leftfield fence for a grandslam, tying the game at 6-6. After the Hawks loaded the bases for the second time in the inning Chris Flanders earned a walk, scoring Mike Marcello (New Haven, Conn.) from third, giving Becker a 7-6 lead.
Matt Ryan (Uxbridge, Mass.) tied the game up for the Corsairs in the top of the seventh inning with a RBI triple to centerfield. Ryan would score from third on an RBI groundout by Matt Worden, putting UMass in front 8-7.
After Becker chased UMass starting pitcher Mike St. Martin (Worcester, Mass.) from the game the Hawks put up five runs on the Corsairs bullpen in the bottom of the seventh. Freshman Mike Smith (Warner, N.H.) got things started for the Hawks with a one out walk. A stolen base, a wild pitch and a pass ball later, Smith scored, tying the game at 8-8. With runners on first and third Mike Marcello singled to right field, scoring Cody Ewest from third base with the eventual game winning run.
UMass reliver Tim Phillips (Uxbridge, Mass.) took the loss for the Corsairs after pitching a third of an inning, allowing four earned runs. Matt Ryan led UMass by going 3 for 4 with an RBI and three runs scored. Cleanup hitter Matt Worden went 2 for 4 with three RBI. With the loss the Corsairs fell to 5-2 on the season.
Becker reliver D.J. Reed (Londonderry, N.H.) earned his first collegiate win after pitching two innings, allow two earned runs on three hits. Cody Ewest finished the day going 3 for 4 with six RBI and two runs scored. Junior Weston Meehan (Thomson, Ga.) broke out of an early season slump going 3 for 4 with an RBI. Keith Kandel chipped in with three runs scored as the Hawks improve to 4-2 on the year