University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
UCF
UMass Swept By UCF, 7-1
March 11, 2007 | Baseball
March 11, 2007
ORLAND, Fla. - The Minutemen (0-3) dropped their third straight game to open the season, losing 7-1 to the University of Central Florida Golden Knights (11-9). Sophomore Mike Dicato (0-1) (Winthrop, Mass.) took the loss while Jaager Good (2-1) was UCF's pitcher of record.
The Golden Knights, who never trailed in the three game series, took the early lead against the Minutemen when DH Chris Duffy pulled a 3-1 DiCato offering over the right field fence. Minutemen mistakes lead to the second run. Rightfielder Ryan Richardson reached on an error by third baseman Ryan Franczek (Chicopee, Mass.) and then advanced to second on a balk by DiCato. Two batters later, UCF's number nine hitter, Dwayne Bailey, singled up the middle to drive in Richardson from second.
UCF added to the lead by knocking home two more runs in the fourth. DiCato issued a walk to Duffy to lead off the inning and then allowed a single to center field to third baseman Shane Brown. Richardson would follow with a sacrifice bunt to advance Duffy to third and Brown to second. Then the next batter, Eric Kallstrom, singled up the middle to drive in Duffy. Brown would also score following a Lou Proietti (Hamilton, Ont.) error on the next batter.
In the next inning, with Rory McDonald in for DiCato, the Golden Knights would tack on another run. McDonald would struggle with control in his only inning of work, issuing bases on balls to two batters. After loading the bases, UCF would take advantage of another UMass miscue. Proietti's second error in as many innings allowed Kiko Vazquez to cross home plate to make the score 5-0.
With Ryan Walczak (Taunton, Mass.) pitching in relief of McDonald, UCF piled on two more runs in the seventh inning. Brown scored his second run of the game on Bailey groundout to Franczek, giving Bailey his second RBI of the afternoon. Kallstrom scored UCF's seventh and final run on the second play as Tony Auer singled up the middle to drive in Kallstrom from second base.
The Minutemen would finally get on the board in the top of the ninth, but it was not enough. Sophomore Adam Tempesta (Brockton, Mass.) singled to lead off the inning and would advance to second when Proietti was issued a free pass two batters later. Three pitches later, junior catcher Bryan Garrity (Peabody, Mass.) roped a single down the right field line, scoring Tempesta. With Proietti on third and Garrity on first, Andy Tuetken (Smithfield, R.I.) and Travis Munsey (Durham, N.H.) both struck out to end the rally.
The Minutemen ran into a hot pitcher for the third game in a row and managed to scatter only six hits. Poor defense also plagued the team, as they committed four errors en route to the UCF series sweep.
UMass will resume play on Wednesday, March 14 as they return home to Earl Lorden Field to play the Boston College Eagles. Game time is slated for 3 p.m.
