University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
Saint Louis
Baseball Takes Game One At Saint Louis, 6-4
April 11, 2009 | Baseball
April 11, 2009
ST. LOUIS, Mo. - Senior Mitchell Clegg threw a career-high 8.2 innings, helping the UMass baseball team to a 6-4 victory over Saint Louis in game one of the teams' Atlantic 10 doubleheader on Saturday afternoon. The win was the third in the last four games for the Minutemen and moves the squad to 9-17 on the season and 3-7 in the A-10, while the Billikens fall to 18-15, 5-4 in conference play.
UMass held the advantage from the outset, putting three runs on the board in the top of the first. Senior Sam Boone reached base on a dropped fly ball and classmate Adam Tempesta followed with a single through the right side. The next batter, junior Brian Baudinet, reached on an error in an attempt to move up the runners with a sacrifice, which allowed Boone to score from second to put the Minutemen on the board. Senior Jim Macdonald then knocked a two-run single up the middle to bring the advantage to 3-0.
In the bottom half of the inning, Saint Louis took one of the runs back. Cody Cotter and Ryan Bennett began the frame with back-to-back singles. Danny Brock moved up the runners with a sacrifice bunt and Cotter came home on a sacrifice fly by Ben Braaten.
The Billikens would manage only three hits over the next seven innings as UMass added to its lead in the fifth and the sixth. Sophomore Kyle Multner singled with one out in the fifth and Baudinet plated him with a double to center for the team's fourth run. Then in the sixth, Macdonald and junior Mike Donato started off the Minutemen's turn at bat with two straight singles. Sophomore Peter Copa picked up an RBI as Macdonald scored on a fielder's choice and Donato came in on a sacrifice fly by sophomore Matt Gedman for the team's final run.
Saint Louis had a chance to make a comeback in the bottom of the ninth. Zach Miller singled to third, followed by walks to Braaten and Jerry Mancuso that loaded the bases for Andrew Guerra with one out. Guerra poked a single through the right side to bring the Billikens to within 6-3, and with two away, Bennett singled in Mancuso.
That would be all, however, as senior Mitchell Eilenberg induced a ground ball to shortstop to end the game. The save was his first of the season and ninth of his career, tying Bryan Adamski for the program career record.
Clegg worked 8.2 innings and picked up the win (2-1), allowing four runs on eight hits with four walks and nine strikeouts. Scott Turmail pitched a complete game for Saint Louis and took the loss (4-2). He surrendered six runs, three earned, on nine hits with no walks and six strikeouts.
Tempesta and Madconald each finished the game 2-for-4 with a run scored, while Macdonald also had a pair of RBIs. For the Billikens, Bennett was the lone player with multiple hits, going 2-for-4 with an RBI.
Following the second game of the doubleheader being played this afternoon, UMass will close out its series at Saint Louis tomorrow afternoon, Apr. 12, at 1 p.m.
