University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
St. Bonaventure
Baseball Blanks St. Bonaventure, 6-0
May 01, 2009 | Baseball
May 1, 2009
AMHERST, Mass. - Behind a two-hit pitching gem and a career-high 12 strikeouts by senior Mitchell Clegg, the UMass baseball team downed St. Bonaventure, 6-0, on Friday afternoon at Earl Lorden Field. The victory, which marked the team's second shutout of an Atlantic 10 opponent this season, moves the Minutemen to 17-22 overall and 8-10 in the A-10, while the Bonnies drop to 21-18, 7-11 in conference games.
Senior Sam Boone led off UMass' half of the first with a walk and crossed the plate when his classmate, Jim Macdonald sliced an RBI single to left. Junior Mike Donato followed up with a ground ball single through the right side of the infield to bring in junior Brian Baudinet who was hit by a pitch earlier in the inning.
St. Bonaventure threatened to take the runs back in the top of the third. Nick Brennen was hit by a pitch and Jesse Bosnik roped a double to center, giving the Bonnies runners at second an third with two down in the frame. However, Clegg ended the threat by striking out Ryan Skellie looking with a full count to strand the runners. The Bonnies' only other hit in the contest was a one-out single by Bosnik in the top of the first.
The Minutemen added to its lead with a run in the third as back-to-back doubles by Donato and Mike Gedman increased UMass' advantage to 3-0.
Then in the fifth, Donato was hit by a pitch and crossed the plate on an RBI single through the right side by sophomore Matt Gedman. Freshman Tom Conley legged out an infield hit and later came in on a fielder's choice RBI ground ball by sophomore Kyle Multner for the team's fifth run.
UMass tacked on its sixth and final run in the bottom of the seventh. Matt Gedman ripped a hard-fought single up the middle after a nine-pitch at-bat, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on an error.
Clegg worked eight scoreless innings for the Minutemen to earn the win and improved to 5-1 on the year. He scattered two hits, walked four and struck out 12. Junior Bryan Leigh relieved him and pitched a hitless ninth, logging one walk and one strikeout.
Jim Britton started on the mound for the Bonnies and took the loss (6-4) as he surrendered five runs on 10 hits with two walks and six strikeouts over five innings on the hill.
Donato, Matt Gedman and Multner were all 2-for-4 on the afternoon with an RBI apiece, while Mike Gedman went 2-for-5 with an RBI. Donato scored twice, as well.
UMass and St. Bonaventure will continue their three-game series tomorrow, May 2, at 1 p.m. on Earl Lorden Field.
