University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
La Salle
Minutemen Defeat Explorers 15-13 In Slugfest
April 14, 2006 | Baseball
April 14, 2006
PHILADELPHIA - The Massachusetts (6-16, 4-7 Atlantic 10) baseball team downed the Explorers of LaSalle (12-20, 5-5 A-10) 15-13 in Friday's four-hour contest. The two teams combined for 28 runs on 30 hits to get through the marathon slugfest. The Minutemen trailed 13-9 heading into the top of the ninth but scored six times in the inning to take the crucial A-10 victory. Every UMass starter had at least one hit in the game and freshman Adam Tempesta (Brockton, Mass.) led all Minutemen hitters as he went 5-6 with four runs scored.
The Minutemen held a commanding 9-3 lead entering the bottom half of the seventh inning but the Explorers rallied ferociously with six runs to tie the game at 9-9. The Explorers scored on RBI singles by first baseman Billy Kern and Mike Dertouzos and catcher Rich Prall's grand slam. Prall led all LaSalle hitters as he was 3-4 with six RBI and three runs scored.
LaSalle continued their offensive explosion with four more runs in the bottom half of the eighth. Prall was once again the offensive catalyst bringing in two runs on his RBI double to left center field as LaSalle took an 11-9 lead. The Explorers added two more runs on RBI single by George Hudock and a balk by Minuteman freshman reliever Mike Dicato (Winthrop, Mass.) as LaSalle left the inning with a 13-9 advantage.
UMass refused to go quietly and rallied back scoring six in the top half of the ninth. Senior Derrick Durepo (Ware, Mass.) stroked a RBI single to begin the rally cutting the Minuteman deficit to three at 13-10. Durepo was 3-5 on the afternoon with a RBI and two runs scored.
Sophomore Ryan Franczek (Chicopee, Mass.) followed Duverge and tied the game with one swing of the bat as he blasted a three-run homer making it 13-13. Franczek was 3-6 with three RBI and two runs scored on the day.
UMass took the lead two batters later as junior Lou Proietti (Hamilton, Ont.) singled home Tempesta (Brockton, Mass.) making it 14-13. Freshman Joe Cotone (Yorktown, N.Y.) added an insurance run with a sacrifice fly for the final of 15-13. Proietti's single was one of his two hits on the day as he extended his hitting streak to 10 games.
The Minutemen's early lead was in large part thanks to the performance of sophomore catcher Bryan Garrity (Peabody, Mass.). Garrity was 1-2 on the day with six RBI, including a third-inning grand slam that gave UMass an early 6-3 lead.
It was tough day for pitchers all the way around as the two staffs combined to allow 28 runs on 30 hits with a total of 10 total pitchers being used. Dicato (1-2) picked up his first win of the season while teammate Bryan Adamski (South Deerfield, Mass.) worked a perfect ninth inning to earn his second save. LaSalle reliever Gerard Breslin was tagged with the loss falling to 3-3.
The two teams will return to action Saturday afternoon for the rubber game of this three game series. The Minutemen are expected to start junior Rory McDonald (East Longmeadow, Mass.) against the Explorers. First pitch is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Be sure to check back to www.umassathletics.com for a complete recap and updated stats after the game.
