University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
La Salle
Baseball Tops La Salle, 4-1
April 21, 2007 | Baseball
April 21, 2007
AMHERST, Mass. - The UMass Minutemen (11-16, 6-8) won consecutive games for the fifth time this season with a 4-1 victory over La Salle (13-20, 5-9). Sophomore Adam Tempesta (Brockton, Mass.) reached base for the 26th straight game on a single in the fourth inning. Junior Jim Cassidy (4-1) (Medway, Mass.) shut down the Explorers' offense to earn his fourth win as he allowed only one run, which was unearned.
UMass got a another strong outing from their starter as Jim Cassidy threw 7.2 innings and allowed a mere one run. The 120-pitch start was Cassidy's fourth in which he allowed one run or fewer. It was also the fourth outing in which he pitched over seven innings. Cassidy cruised through the La Salle lineup, striking out five batters. The only bump in the road for the junior transfer came in the third when La Salle jumped out to a 1-0 lead when Rich Prall, who reached on a passed ball on a strikeout, crossed the plate on a John Rickards triple. Cassidy averted trouble in the sixth inning by inducing a 1-2-3 double play with the bases load to avoid any damage.
The La Salle defense helped out UMass for the second straight game, committing a costly error in UMass' half of the fourth inning. With the score deadlocked at one, junior Bryan Garrity (Peabody, Mass.) hit a hard groundball through the legs of La Salle first basemen Billy Kern. Garrity motored into second and Tempesta sped into third from first with one out. Ryan Franczek (Chicopee, Mass.) hit a deep sacrifice fly to score Tempesta for what proved to be the winning run. After Bill Rankin (Willington, Conn.) was intentionally walked, freshman Brian Baudinet (Watertown, Conn.) roped his first career triple down the right field line to cap the UMass scoring on the day.
La Salle starter Kenny Elkind pitched effectively enough to win as he allowed hits to only three Minutemen. In addition to Tempesta's single and Baudinet's triple, Rankin to lead of the third.
Junior Aaron Smith (Westfield, Mass.) came on in relief of Cassidy in the eighth inning. He nailed down his fifth save of the year by recording an out in the eighth and pitching a scoreless ninth.
The Minutemen will take the field again on Sunday as they look to finish the season sweep of La Salle. First pitch is set for Noon at Earl Lorden Field. Fans who cannot make the action can listen live on WMUA 91.1 or via the link on UMassAthletics.com
