University of Massachusets Athletics
UMass Opents Three Game Set Against George Washington
April 13, 2007 | Baseball
April 13, 2007
AMHERST, Mass. - The UMass baseball team (8-13, 3-6) will square off against the George Washington University Colonials (11-22, 3-6) in a three game set beginning Friday at Earl Lorden Field. UMass heads nito the weekend riding high from two big wins against Boston College and University of Connecticut. The Minutemen are looking to move up the Atlantic 10 standings. Currently, UMass and George Washington sit in a five team deadlock for ninth place, only one game out of sixth place.
After a disappointing weekend when they dropped two games to Rhode Island, UMass surged back on Monday and Tuesday. The win on Monday against Boston College was the Minutemen's first since 2000 and its first win against an ACC opponent since 1971, when Dick Bergquist's team beat Maryland. On Tuesday, the Minutemen halted a decade long losing steak to Connecticut with a thrilling 6-4 win in 10 innings.
The UMass pitching staff has settled into a groove of late. In the first game of the doubleheader against Rhode Island, senior Chris Lloyd (North Adams, Mass.) through 8 2/3 innings to secure Head Coach Mike Stone's 500th win in a Minuteman uniform. In the nightcap, Mike Dicato (Winthrop, Mass.) came on strong in relief to pitch 7 2/3 innings while yielding only two runs, one of which was earned. Junior transfer Jim Cassidy (Medway, Mass.) gave his teammates a gusty six innings against Boston College to earn the win, while senior Bryan Adamski (South Deerfield, Mass.) threw four scoreless innings against UConn.
The UMass bats have been boosted of late by hot streaks from Jim Macdonald (Chesire, Conn.) and Travis Munsey (Durham, N.H.). Macdonald has made the most of his move to the clean-up spot in the lineup, combining for six hits and five RBI in the last five games. Munsey, riding a five game hitting streak, has had his best stretch of the season. The senior has amassed 10 hits in his last five games, including four doubles to lead the Minuteman attack.
For George Washington, the troubles has come with the pitching staff, which ranks last in the A-10, with a 7.58 ERA. The Colonials are led on the mound by Scott Swinson, who sports a 4.04 ERA and a 3-4 record.
The Colonials' most potent hitter is Michael Parker. The senior shortstop carries a .364 ERA with nine home runs and 35 RBI, all tops on the squad.
The Minutemen and Colonials have not met during the past two seasons. The last time the two teams played each other in 2004, George Washington took the series by winning the rubber game 9-4. Bill Rankin (Willington, Conn.) and Travis Munsey are the only current Minuteman to play against the Colonials. Rankin collected two hits in the series while Munsey was held in check, going 0-4.
The first game of the series is set for 3 p.m. on Friday. The games Saturday and Sunday are both slated for 12 p.m. Fans who cannot make the games can follow the action with live audio and Gametracker on UMassAthletics.com.
