University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
Saint Joseph's
Baseball Blasts Saint Joseph's, 10-2
April 18, 2009 | Baseball
April 18, 2009
AMHERST, Mass. - With another stellar pitching performance, complimented by home run power, the UMass baseball team downed Saint Joseph's, 10-2, on Saturday afternoon at Earl Lorden Field. The Minutemen, who have belted nine home runs in the last three games, improve to 13-19, 6-8 in the Atlantic 10, while the Hawks drop to 14-18-1, 7-6 in conference play.
UMass opened the scoring with three runs on one swing of the bat in the bottom of the third. Senior Sam Boone sent a ball down the left field line off the third base bag for a one-out double. Then with two away, junior Brian Baudinet walked, bringing senior Jim Macdonald to the plate. Macdonald, who has been a menace to the Hawks this weekend, rocketed his second home run of the series to left to give the Minutemen a 3-0 lead. Through two games against Saint Joseph's, Macdonald is 4-for-5 with five RBI, three runs scored and four walks, including two intentional passes.
Macdonald scored the squad's next run, as well, as the team added another pair in the fifth inning, once again with two away. Macdonald walked and junior Mike Donato sent him in with a screaming triple into the gap in right center. Junior Mike Gedman followed up with an RBI single to plate Donato that increased UMass' advantage to 5-0.
The Hawks crept to within 5-2 the next inning, capitalizing on an error with two out. Joe Cook, who was hit by a pitch to lead off, and Mike Coleman, who reached base single through the right side of the infield, both crossed the plate on the play.
UMass then put the game out of reach with two more home runs. In the bottom of the seventh, junior Austin Weymouth opened up the frame with a single, while Macdonald was walked on four pitches with one out. After Donato reached on a fielder's choice, Mike Gedman stepped to the dish with two away and blasted a 2-2 pitch that hit the window of the practice rink beyond the right field fence for a three-run shot, his third home run of the week and third of his career.
The following inning, Baudinet powered a ball over the fence in left to bring the score to 10-2. The drive was a two-run homer as Boone singled to begin the Minutemen's turn at bat.
Sophomore Nick Serino went the distance for UMass to record his third win of the season (3-3). He gave up just four hits and two unearned runs in nine innings on the hill with no walks and 10 strikeouts. Serino's outing comes on the heels of senior Mitchell Clegg's six-hit complete game shutout of Saint Joseph's on Friday afternoon. Through the first two games of the weekend series against the Hawks, the Minutemen have not allowed an earned run, holding Saint Joseph's to 10 hits with 17 strikeouts in 18 innings.
All nine UMass starters registered a hit in the contest, led by Mike Gedman's 3-for-4 performance that included four RBI and one run scored. Boone finished the day 3-for-5 with two runs scored. David Valesente logged two of the Hawks' four hits, finishing 2-for-3 at the plate.
The teams will close out the series tomorrow afternoon at 12 p.m. on Earl Lorden Field.
