University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
Xavier
Xavier Sneaks Past UMass, 5-4
May 19, 2007 | Baseball
May 19, 2007
CINCINNATI- The Minutemen (22-25, 13-14 Atlantic 10) wrapped up their season on a sour note, as Aaron Smith (Westfield, Mass.) (0-1) surrendered a walk-off, three-run home run to Xavier's Drew Roberts to give the Muskateers (27-29, 16-10 A-10) a 5-4 win. The homer cast a pall over an otherwise dominating performance by the Maroon and White in the final contest of the year. The UMass offense pounded out four runs on 14 hits, including a three-run roundtripper by centerfielder Bill Rankin (Willington, Conn.). Starter Tim Comiskey (Great River, N.Y.) and Mike Dicato (Winthrop, Mass.) combined for 6.1 solid innings of two-run ball, but their efforts were ultimately squandered.
Comiskey was in the driver's seat for the four innings of his outing. The only trouble he encountered came in the form of a solo home run by Xavier centerfielder Adam Pasono in the third inning. The sophomore transfer yielded only one other hit in his four innings of work while walking four and striking out none.
Throughout the game, the Minuteman offense was constantly churning, as Head Coach Mike Stone's squad had a runner on base every inning.
UMass jumped out in front in the top of the first inning with a two-out rally. With Adam Tempesta (Brockton, Mass.) walking on four pitches and Bryan Adamski (South Deerfield, Mass.) singling to center, the Minutemen had a scoring opportunity brewing. The next batter, Rankin stepped to the plate and took the second pitch he saw to left field for an RBI doule to open the scoring.
The Minutemen threatened in the third inning. With two outs, UMass loaded the bases when Adamski and Bryan Garrity (Peabody, Mass.) were hit by pitches and Rankin pushed a double down the right field line. With runners at each station, Ryan Franczek (Chicopee, Mass.) grounded to the second baseman, who flipped it to the shortstop for the force out at second.
In the fifth, DiCato came on in favor of Comiskey in the fifth inning and immediately hit a few bumps. He opened the inning by handing a lead-off walk to Neil Lindgren. Xavier loaded the bases with two outs, courtesy of two more walks. Facing a potential big inning, DiCato buckled down and struck out Andy Zellers on a 2-2 pitch to quell the threat.
UMass opened up its lead in the seventh inning. With Jim Cassidy (Medway, Mass.) and Adamski on base, the hot-hitting Rankin blasted a three-run home run to right field, capping the UMass scoring on the afternoon.
Xavier tacked on a run in the seventh inning, to close the gap to two. The Muskateers had the potential for a few more runs with runners on the corners, but Smith, who had not pitched on April 22 against La Salle due to injury, relieved DiCato and induced a 5-4-3 double play to escape the jam with no more damage than the one run.
The Muskateers threatened for the second consecutive inning in the eighth. Smith loaded the bases with a single, hit batsman and a walk. With two outs, Smith fanned Jordan Wolf, holding the Xavier offense at bay.
UMass' pitching finally gave way to the Muskateer offense in the bottom of the ninth. Smith started the inning with a strike out and a fly out to center field. With two outs, UMass was primed for a quick 1-2-3 inning, which would have closed the book on the season, but Smith extended the inning by hitting Robbie Kelley with a pitch and then walking Andy Zellers. On a 2-1 count, Smith hung a pitch that Drew Roberts sent over the left field fence to end the game and UMass' season.
UMass finishes its season with the most total wins and Atlantic 10 conference wins since 2003, when the Minutemen won 26 total games and 14 in the A-10.
