University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
Temple
Sunday Doubleheader Split UMass. vs. Temple
April 05, 2009 | Baseball
April 5, 2009
Box Score |
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AMHERST, Mass. - The UMass baseball team rebounded from a heartbreaking 8-7 game one defeat by handing Temple its first conference loss of the season, 7-6, in game two of the Atlantic 10 doubleheader at Earl Lorden Field on Sunday afternoon. After salvaging the split in the twinbill, the Minutemen are now 7-16 overall and 2-7 in conference play, while the Owls sit at 13-13 overall and 8-1 in the A-10.
UMass was first to score in game two, putting up a pair of runs in the bottom of the first. Redshirt senior Jim Cassidy reached on an error to lead off the inning and junior Brian Baudinet ripped a double into the left centerfield gap to bring him home. Baudinet later came in for the team's second run on an RBI single through the left side by junior Mike Donato.
Temple took one of the runs back in the top of the second. A hit batter and a pair of singles set up a bases loaded walk for Jabair Kahn that forced in Tony Jusino and cut the Owls' deficit to 2-1.
In the bottom of the frame, the Minutemen scored for the third time in the contest. Freshman Tom Conley sent a one out single into right and reached second on an error. He then moved to third on a wild pitch and sophomore Matt Gedman plated him with an RBI single that dropped into right field.
Then in the top of the third, Temple used a pair of homeruns to take a 4-3 lead. Byron McKoy sent a ball over the fence in left center for a two-run blast after Sean Barksdale was hit by a pitch to begin the inning. Two batters later, Jusino homered to right to give the Owls the one-run advantage.
UMass fought back and tied the score at four in the bottom of the sixth as sophomore Peter Copa poked a single through the right side of the infield, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Conley, moved to third on a wild pitch and came home on a sacrifice fly by Matt Gedman.
The Minutemen followed up by climbing back on top in their next turn at bat with four straight two-out hits. The first was a moon shot over the scoreboard by Copa, his third homerun of the season, which bought the score to 5-4. Back-to-back singles by Conley and Matt Gedman then set up a two-RBI double by Cassidy that gave UMass key insurance runs.
Those two runs proved highly valuable as Temple threatened to make its second ninth inning comeback of the day. Singles by Kahn, Carmen Del Mastro and Barksdale loaded the bases for McKoy who drew a four-pitch walk to plate Kahn. Del Mastro then scored on a fielder's choice as senior Jim Macdonald knocked down a ball hit to third and scrambled to the base for the force and picked up the second out of the inning. After junior Mike Gedman took the mound and walked Jusino to load the bases once more, he induced a softly-hit comebacker to the mound and tossed the ball to first to end the game and pick up his fourth save of the season.
Sophomore Nick Serino pitched 3.2 innings of relief and earned the win (2-2) for the Minutemen. He allowed two runs on four hits with two walks and struck out six. Jordan Cannon took the loss (1-2) for the Owls as he worked 1.2 innings out of the bullpen and surrendered four runs on five hits with three walks and two strikeouts.
Game one was a back-and-forth contest much like game two. Temple scored the first run of the contest in its first turn at the plate as McKoy led off the game with a walk and came in on a fielder's choice ground ball with Kyle Obal earning the RBI, only to see UMass answer with a pair in the bottom of the inning. Cassidy was hit by a pitch to open the frame and Baudinet brought him home with a sacrifice fly. Senior Adam Tempesta crossed the plate for the team's second run on a RBI single through the right side by Donato after reaching base with a double to the base of the fence in left center. Senior Sam Boone provided the Minutemen's third run, leading off the second with his third homer of the season.
The Owls managed to plate the next three runs to regain the lead, 4-3. Jamie Abercrombie doubled with two gone in the fourth and Lenny DelGrippo knocked him in with a single up the middle. Then in the sixth, Mark Ortega hit a two-run home run to left center.
UMass promptly tied the score in the bottom half of the inning as Copa drew a leadoff walk and later crossed the plate on a passed ball. The Minutemen then proceeded to put up another run in the seventh and two in the eighth to build a 7-4 advantage. Baudinet began the seventh with a single to left, stole second, went to third on a wild pitch and came home on a RBI single by Macdonald. Conley reached on an error in the eighth and scored on an RBI single by Cassidy. Maconald then came through with an RBI base knock once more for the team's final run, plating Tempesta who reached base on a four-pitch walk.
A pair of two-out errors proved costly for UMass in the top of the ninth, loading the bases for Abercrombie who stole the game from the Minutemen with one swing of the bat as he deposited a grand slam over the fence in right to put Temple on top, 8-7.
UMass failed to score against Ryan Thomas in the bottom of the inning as he pitched the ninth, giving up one hit and fanning one batter to log his second save of the year. Tyler Horst recorded the win (1-2) for the Owls after working one-third of an inning and allowing one hit. Junior Bryan Leigh was hung with the loss (0-4) for the Minutemen. He let up four unearned runs on two hits in 1.1 innings on the mound with no walks and one strikeout.
Donato hit a team-best 5-for-9 in the doubleheader for UMass and drove in a pair of runs. Conely and Copa each scored three times for the Minutemen and finished the two games hitting 3-for-6 and 3-for-7, respectively.
Abercrombie paced the Temple hitters with a 4-for-10 performance at the plate over the two contests, drove in four and scored twice. McKoy totaled three RBI and two runs scored.
UMass returns to action tomorrow afternoon, finishing off its homestand with a game against UConn that is slated for 3 p.m. on Earl Lorden Field.
