University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
Charlotte
Baseball Loses Final Game Of Series At Charlotte, 13-5
April 01, 2007 | Baseball
April 1, 2007
Charlotte, N.C.- The Charlotte 49ers (22-5, 5-1) sent the UMass Minutemen (4-11, 2-4) home empty-handed as the 49ers finished the three game set by defeating UMass 13-5 to complete the weekend sweep. Sophomore Tim Comiskey (Great River, N.Y.) took the loss for the Minutemen, dropping to 1-2. Charlotte starter Zach Rosenbaum (3-0) recorded the win after giving the home team with another strong outing by a 49ers starter. Jim Macdonald (Cheshire, Conn.) and Ryan Franczek (Chicopee, Mass.) led the way for UMass, collecting two hits each.
Charlotte struck early and often against UMass hurlers. The 49ers put three runs, all unearned, on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first. A Franczek error led to the 49ers putting two men on base, both of whom would score on an ensuing triple by clean-up hitter Brad McElroy. Comiskey would later balk, allowing the third run of the inning to score.
The Minutemen got one run back in the next half inning, but were unable to chase down the Charlotte lead. In the top of the second, senior Bill Rankin (Willington, Conn.) knocked an RBI single to centerfield, scoring Jim Cassidy (Medway, Mass.) for the first Minuteman run of the afternoon.
After UMass shut out the 49ers in the bottom of the second, Charlotte proceeded to score in each of the six remaining innings of the contest. The 49ers offense was highlighted by home runs from Chris Taylor in the third, Kris Rochelle in the fourth, and Brad McElroy in the sixth. Senior Beau Hodges (Manchester, N.H.) also surrendered the second two RBI triple of the game to Alex Burt in the fifth inning.
UMass put its second run on the board in the top of the seventh. With two outs already in the inning, Franczek roped a double down the left field line. Freshman Brian Baudinet (Watertown, Conn.) followed with a double down the left field line of his own, scoring Franczek. Unfortunately, Baudinet was stranded in scoring position when the next batter, Lou Proietti (Hamilton, Ont.), grounded out.
The Minutemen finally put together a sustained attack in the top of the eighth inning. Sophomore Adam Tempesta (Brockton, Mass.) led off with a single to center. He was advanced to third on a one-out single by Bryan Garrity (Peabody, Mass.). Following a strikeout by Cassidy, MacDonald lined a single down the left field line, which scored Tempesta. Rankin then reached on the lone Charlotte error of the game, while Cody Kauffman (Blue Bell, Pa.), who pinch-ran for Garrity, and MacDonald both scored for the second and third runs, respectively.
The UMass pitching, which had pitched well the previous two games, ran out of gas on Sunday and struggled. Five Minutemen pitchers combined to allow 14 hits, while issuing five walks and striking out just three.
The Minutemen will be back in action on Tuesday at Holy Cross as UMass Head Coach Mike Stone looks to move one win closer to No. 500 in his UMass career. The Minuteman skipper currently has 498 wins. Fans can listen to the game on UMassAthletics.com. First pitch is slated for 3 p.m.
