University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
Temple
Minutemen Take Game Two From Temple, 10-5
April 29, 2006 | Baseball
April 29, 2006
AMHERST, Mass. - The Massachusetts baseball squad (10-21, 8-9 Atlantic 10) avenged Friday's loss to Temple (8-32, 3-13 A-10) with a 10-5 victory over the Owls on Saturday afternoon at Earl Lorden Field. The UMass offense returned to top form, stroking 17 hits in the contest with all nine starters hitting safely, including five with multiple hits. The Minutemen got a quality start out of senior David Sullivan (Winchester, Mass.) who went eight strong innings allowing five runs while scattering 11 hits to earn the victory. Junior Lou Proietti (Hamilton, Ont.) went 4-5 with two runs scored.
The Owls struck early, scoring three first inning runs. Dan Brady continued his hot hitting with a two RBI double off of Sullivan. Devon Swope knocked in Brady with single making it 3-0 Temple. Brady was 2-4 with two RBI and a run scored.
UMass cut into the Temple lead in the bottom half of the second, pushing across a run of their own. Freshman Jim Macdonald (Cheshire, Conn.) doubled to begin the inning and came in to score on a RBI single by junior Bill Rankin (Willington, Conn.). Rankin finished the day 2-4 with a RBI.
The Minutemen exploded offensively in the bottom half of the third as they recorded a six run inning, pulling ahead 7-3. The Minutemen got their first run via a wild pitch by Arshwin Asjes scoring Proietti from third. UMass tied the game on a sacrifice fly by Macdonald and then pulled ahead on a single by Joe Cotone (Yorktown, N.Y.), making it 4-3. Rankin followed with a lined shot back at Asjes who knocked down the ball, but released a wild throw to first base. The ball sailed well into foul territory allowing sophomore Bryan Garrity (Peabody, Mass.) and Cotone to come around to score. Rankin came in to score in the following at bat as senior Derrick Durepo (Ware, Mass.) delivered a RBI ground out, extending the Massachusetts lead to four.
Sullivan settled into a groove after the first inning, shutting out the Owls over the next seven innings of his outing. In innings two through nine Sullivan allowed two runs and seven hits to improve to 3-5 on the year. Asjes took the loss as he allowed seven runs and nine hits in his four-inning stint.
The Minutemen added three insurance runs in the bottom half of the eighth on RBI singles by sophomore Ryan Francezk (Chicopee, Mass.) and Garrity, as well as a RBI triple by Bryan Adamski (South Deerfield, Mass.). Garrity was 2-5 with a RBI and a run scored while Franczek was 3-5 with a RBI.
The Owls added two runs in the top half of the ninth on an error and sacrifice fly by Jamie Abercrombie. Adamski was able to come in and stifle the Temple rally and record the final three outs of the game.
The two squads will play the rubber game of the three game series Sunday afternoon at Noon. The game will be broadcast live on umassathletics.com and fans unable to make it to the game will also be able to follow along at home via Gametracker. Be sure to check back to umassathletics.com for a complete recap and updated stats after the game.
