University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
Fordham
Minutemen Swept By Fordham, Lose 4-2 On Sunday
March 26, 2006 | Baseball
March 26, 2006
BRONX, N.Y. - UMass baseball (2-9, 0-3 Atlantic 10) was swept by Fordham (9-13, 3-0 A-10) in the opening weekend of conference play, falling by the score of 4-2 on Sunday.Junior Bryan Garrity (Peabody, Mass.) was credited with a RBI in the sixth, bringing in freshman Adam Tempesta (Brockton, Mass.) and the Minutemen to within one, but the Rams sealed it up with two runs in the eighth.Senior David Sullivan (Winchester,Mass.) dropped to 0-3 on the season with the loss.
The Ram's jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the bottom half of the first. First basemen Greg Smith stroked a one out single to right, but Sullivan got right fielder Brian Keeney to pop out for the second out of the inning. Catcher John Molicone then doubled to left center to bring in Smith and give the Rams a 1-0 lead. Eric Resse followed with a single to left center to plate Molicone as Fordham took a 2-0 edge.
The Minutemen offense was productive from the get go, having runners on base in each of the first five innings. However, UMass was unable to capitalize until the sixth. Tempesta singled to center to start the inning and then advanced to second on a single up the middle by junior Lou Proietti (Hamilton, Ont.). Junior Bryan Adamski (South Deerfield Mass.) then sacrificed Tempesta and Proietti over to third and second, respectively. Garrity followed with a deep fly ball to left field that scored Tempesta from third, cutting the Ram lead to 2-1.
The Minutemen offense came through once again as Tempesta singled off of Ram reliever Craig Tscherednikov to start the eighth inning. Proietti followed with a sacrifice bunt advancing Tempesta to second. Adamski was next and laced a hot shot to third that was mishandled by Jordan Lert. The ball skipped off of Lert's glove into foul territory allowing Tempesta to cross with the game-tying run as UMass pulled even at 2-2. Adamski finished the day 2-3 and 6-10 on the series, including a pair of home runs on Friday.
After surrendering the two early runs, Sullivan settled in to a solid rhythm through the next six innings as the only real trouble came in the fifth inning with a one out, bases loaded situation. Sullivan was able to escape unscathed as he got Molicone to pop to short and Reese to ground out to Adamski. The Fordham offense finally touched the senior right-hander in the bottom of the eighth as the Rams pushed two runs across the board on a two RBI single by DH Michael Consenza. Overall, Sullivan had a solid outing allowing four runs on nine hits while striking out two and walking just one.
Reliever James Sammut earned the win as he pitched a perfect 1 2/3 innings to close out the game. Sammut picked up two wins and a save during the weekend against UMass, baffling hitters with his slow curve and unorthodox delivery.
The Minutemen return to action Tuesday afternoon, March 28 as they take on Sacred Heart in Bridgeport Conn. Sophomore Aaron Smith (Westfield, Mass.) will put his unbeaten record on the line as he tries to help end the Minutemen's four-game losing skid. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.
