University of Massachusets Athletics
UMass To Face Central Connecticut State Tuesday, Holy Cross Wednesaday
April 24, 2007 | Baseball
April 24, 2007
AMHERST, Mass.- Fresh of a series win over La Salle, UMass baseball team (13-16, 6-9) heads to Central Connecticut State (15-10) for a midweek game at 3 p.m. Tuesday. The Minutemen will also play in their second game of the Beanpot on at Noon on Wednesday. In a scheduling change, UMass will not be playing Harvard due to an Ivy League restriction and in all likelihood will be playing Holy Cross (10-18). Last time out, the Minutemen dropped the final game of a three game set against the La Salle Explorers after taking the first two contests.
UMass and Central Connecticut last met May 10, 2006 when the Maroon and White won decisively, 11-1. In the game, catcher Bryan Garrity (Peabody, Mass.) collected two hits and drove in five runs. Garrity was the only starter for the game who did not score a run. Travis Munsey (Durham, N.H.) contributed to the cause with two hits, one RBI and one run scored.
The Minutemen and Crusaders have already squared off in 2007 when UMass halted a five-game losing streak with a 4-3 victory in Worcester, Mass. Sophomore Adam Tempesta (Brockton, Mass.) provided the spark for the UMass offense with two RBI. In the game, the Maroon and White stole four bases as Ryan Franczek (Chicopee, Mass.), Lou Proietti (Hamilton, Ont.), Bill Rankin (Willington, Conn.) and Travis Munsey (Durham, N.H.) eached swiped a bag. Junior transfer Jim Cassidy (Medway, Mass.) tossed seven innings of one-run ball and struck out five batters.
UMass is led at the plate by Adam Tempesta, who has reached base safely in 27 straight games this season. With his streak in jeopardy on Sunday, Tempesta was hit by a pitch in the seventh inning to put him on first. Tempesta is hitting a team-high .339, is tied for the team lead in doubles with six and is second on the squad in RBI with 14.
On the hill, Cassidy is emerging as one of the top pitchers on the team. After his win on Saturday, he has four wins and a 3.53 ERA, both tops on the team. Out of the bullpen, Bryan Adamski (South Deerfield, Mass.) and Aaron Smith (Westfield, Mass.) have proven to be a potent one-two punch in the late innings for Coach Mike Stone. Adamski totes a 1.93 ERA, two wins and two saves while Smith leads the team with five saves in 14 appearances.
The Blue Devils' offense is driven by Jak Kidd and Adam Taha who are hitting .333 and .330 respectively. Kidd leads the team in triples with three, home runs with two and RBI with 17. Central Connecticut's top starters are John Tesseyman (3-2), Ken Kereski (5-1) and Evan Scribner (3-3). The three hurlers have eight of the team's 11 complete games between them.
For Holy Cross, Brendan Akashian and Jake Gorman spark the attack. Both have four home runs on the year and Akashian leads the team with 26 RBI. The Crusaders' top starter is Scott Hampe (2-3) who has a 2.68 ERA.
UMass leads the all-time series with both Central Connecticut State, 19-7, and Holy Cross, 36-25-1. The Minutemen and Crusaders old rivals, having first played in 1894. Holy Cross took that game and UMass went 0-7 on the season.
Fans who cannot make the games can follow the action on Tuesday on Gametracker via UMassAthletics.com. Wednesday's game will be broadcast live on WMUA 91.1 FM and can be streamed online.
