University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
Holy Cross
Holy Cross Nips Baseball, 6-5
March 31, 2009 | Baseball
March 31, 2009
WORCESTER, Mass. - The UMass baseball team took a 5-1 lead into the bottom of the seventh, but five unanswered runs by Holy Cross propelled the Crusaders past the Minutemen, 6-5, on Tuesday afternoon at Fitton Field. With the setback, UMass is now 6-14 on the year, while Holy Cross moves to 9-14 overall.
The Minutemen drew first blood in the contest, scoring twice in the top of the second. Senior Jim Macdonald led off with a single through the left side, while junior Mike Gedman followed with a double to the left field corner that gave UMass runners on second and third with no outs. Freshman Tom Conley then stepped to the plate and sent a 0-1 pitch into right for a single that plated Macdonald. Sophomore Peter Copa followed with a sacrifice fly that brought in Gedman for the team's second run.
The Crusaders cut their deficit in half in the bottom of the fifth with a two-out homerun to left field by Matt Perry. However, the Minutemen promptly took the run back in the top of the sixth as Macdonald dropped a two-out single into center and Mike Gedman ripped an RBI triple over the centerfielder's head to bring the score to 3-1.
UMass scored twice more in its next turn at-bat. Copa led off with a single to right, was sacrificed over to second, went to third on a balk and crossed the plate on an RBI single through the right side by senior Adam Tempesta. Junior Mike Donato later drew a bases loaded walk to force in sophomore Matt Gedman for the team's fifth and final run.
Singles by Jake Gorman and Chris Sintetos, with Billy Cupelo being hit by a pitch in between, loaded the bases for Holy Cross to start the seventh. Gorman came home on a fielder's choice ground ball to second, Cupelo scored on an error and Eric Oxford knocked in McCrea to bring the Crusaders to within a run of UMass at 5-4.
Holy Cross followed up by tying the score in the bottom of the eighth. Tim Hughes, the first batter of the inning, reached on an error. Later Chris Blanchard, who pinch ran for Hughes, was driven in by a single to right from McCrea.
After the Minutemen were unable to bring in a runner from third with one out in the top of the ninth, Eric Oxford led off the bottom half of the frame with a walk-off homerun to right.
Mike Gedman took the loss (0-3) for UMass, pitching one-third of an inning and allowing one run on one hit and walking one batter. Ryan George earned the victory (1-1) for the Crusaders as he retired three of the four Minutemen he faced in the ninth, walked one and struck out two consecutive hitters to end the inning.
Macdonald paced UMass with a 3-for-5 outing at the plate with two runs scored. Mike Gedman was 2-for-3 with a double, a triple, one run scored and one RBI. Tempesta hit 2-for-4 with an RBI and junior Brian Baudinet finished 2-for-5.
Oxford led Holy Cross with a 3-for-5 performance, two RBI and one run scored, while McCrea and Gorman were both 2-for-4 with a run scored, McCrea contributing a pair of RBI, as well.
The Minutemen will be back in action this weekend, Apr. 3-5, playing host to Temple in the team's home-opening series. Game one is slated for a 3 p.m. start on Friday.
