University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
Oral Roberts
Baseball Drops Season Opener To Oral Roberts, 5-2
March 02, 2001 | Baseball
March 2, 2001
TULSA, Okla. -- The University of Massachusetts baseball team fell behind early, and could not recover, as they lost to Oral Roberts tonight, 5-2.
Oral Roberts got on the board in the bottom of the first frame as Danny Boyle led off their inning with a single and eventually scored off of UMass senior pitcher Nick Skirkanich (Cheshire, Conn.). The Minutemen tied the game in the top of the second when senior Nick Gorneault (Springfield, Mass.) tripled off of Oral Roberts pitcher Michael Rogers and later scored on a wild pitch.
Oral Roberts went on to score three more runs off of Skirkanich in the next two innings. He was replaced by junior Jesse Santos (Chelmsford, Mass.) in the fourth after surrendering four runs on five hits, while striking out five batters.
After Oral Roberts added a run off of Santos in the seventh, the Minutemen attempted a late rally. With one out in the ninth, Gorneault and sophomore Jeff Altieri (Whittinsville, Mass.) put together back to back hits, but it was not enough as Oral Roberts held on and improved it's record to 6-2. UMass now stands at 0-1.
On the night, Oral Roberts runners swiped nine bases, while the Minutemen did not attempt one.
The same two teams will meet again tomorrow afternoon for the second part of the three game series. First pitch is set for 2:00 p.m.
