University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
Dayton
UMass Tops Dayton, 4-2; Sweeps Series
April 29, 2007 | Baseball
April 29, 2007
DAYTON, Ohio - Ryan Franczek (Chicopee, Mass.) broke up a scoreless game in the sixth inning to lead Massachusetts (15-18, 9-9 Atlantic 10) to a 4-2 victory over Dayton (17-25, 6-12) on Sunday afternoon. The senior third baseman drove in UMass' first two runs on a double and later scored a run of his own. Jared Freni (Malden, Mass.) started on the mound for the Minutemen and earned the victory, improving his record to 2-3. Sean Finn pitched well for Dayton, but took the loss, dropping him to 2-4.
The win gives UMass a sweep of the three-game series over the Flyers. The Minutemen's last conference sweep was also on the road, at Saint Louis on April 21-23, 2006.
Franczek and Bryan Garrity (Peabody, Mass.), who was 2-4 with 2 RBI, drove in all of UMass' runs. Bryan Adamski (South Deerfield, Mass.) scored twice while going 1-4 with a double.
Sophomore second baseman Adam Tempesta (Brockton, Mass.) was 1-4 with a run. He has now found his way on base in all 32 games he has played this season.
Freni and Finn locked up for what was, for the first five innings, a pitcher's duel. UMass didn't record its first hit until the sixth and Dayton couldn't push a run across the plate on Minutemen pitchers until the ninth. Freni, a freshman, went 6 1/3 innings, allowing only three hits and no runs. He walked five and struck out four. Dayton's starter, Finn, lasted eight innings and allowed four runs, one earned, and five hits.
The string of zeroes on the scoreboard was finally broken up in the sixth inning. Lou Proietti (Hamilton, Ont.) led off the inning by reaching on a throwing error by the Flyers' second baseman. Jim Cassidy (Medway, Mass.) laid down a sacrifice bunt to put Proietti on second. Tempesta followed with a single through the right side, putting Minutemen at first and third. An Adamski ground ball to third resulted in Proietti getting hung up in a run down between third and home, making the second UMass out of the inning. Adamski reached on the fielder's choice and Tempesta advanced to third. It was then that Franczek delivered in the clutch, ripping the first pitch he saw down the right field line for a double, scoring both UMass base-runners. Garrity made it two doubles in row, driving a ball to left-center that plated Franczek, putting the Minutemen up 3-0.
Freni found himself in trouble in the bottom of the sixth. The Flyers loaded the bases with one out on a walk, an error, and a single. Dayton would come up empty however, as Freni induced Joe McSoley to hit into an inning-ending 5-4-3 double play.
Dayton threatened again in the seventh. Mitchell Eilenberg was brought in for Freni after he gave up a single and a walk with one out. Eilenberg got the next two batters to ground out, stymieing another Flyer scoring opportunity.
Adamski came in to pitch the ninth for UMass and retired the first batter before allowing a single to Cole Tyrell. After the next batter flied out, number eight batter Frank Tedesco hit a 1-2 offering over the right field fence making it a 4-2 game. Adamski stay composed and got Michael Massa to fly out and end the game.
The Minutemen will be back in action on Tuesday when they travel to Albany, NY to take on Siena. A 4 p.m. first pitch is scheduled. Fans can follow the action on Gametracker at UMassathletics.com.
