University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
Duquesne
UMass Slugs Duquesne 20-16
May 16, 2009 | Baseball
May 16, 2009
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AMHERST, Mass. - In a game dominated by offense with 10 combined home runs between the two squads, the UMass baseball team scored in every inning to slug its way past Duquesne, 20-16, on Saturday afternoon at Earl Lorden Field. The Minutemen, who will begin play in the Atlantic 10 tournament next Wednesday in Dayton, Ohio, move to 25-24 overall following the victory. UMass closes out the conference schedule with a mark of 16-11 for the squad's highest A-10 wins total since 1997, while the Dukes end their season at 14-41 overall, 7-19 in the A-10.
After a scoreless top half of the first, the Minutemen took what initially seemed to be a commanding 6-0 lead in their first turn at bat. Senior Sam Boone came around for the team's first run on an RBI double by junior Brian Baudinet, while junior Mike Donato drilled a pitch to center for a two-run double. With two down in the frame, sophomore Corey Volpicelli stepped to the plate and sent a three-run home run over the fence in left, his first of his career.
The next inning, Duquesne promptly trimmed its deficit to two with two swings of the bat. Mark Tracy led off with a solo shot to left center, while Brian Bernardo homered with two on base to bring the score to 6-4.
Donato knocked a single up the middle to plate senior Adam Tempesta in the bottom of the second to extend the UMass advantage out to 7-4. However, the Dukes erupted for eight runs on seven hits in the top of the third to climb on top, 12-7. Six of the eight in the frame came via the long ball as Mike Carroll, Bill Torre, Derek Fallecker and Andrew Heck all blasted homers.
Unconventional back-to-back home runs followed for the Minutemen in the next half inning as sophomore Kyle Multner crushed a full count offering to left center, while Boone legged out a ball hit off the top of the fence for an inside the park home run to trim the deficit to 12-9.
UMass pulled within a run after batting in the fourth as senior Jim Macdonald drew a one-out walk and later scored on a wild pitch. Volpicelli then knocked in junior Mike Gedman with a double down the left field line, bringing the score to 12-11.
After two runs scored on an error for Duquesne with two outs in the top of the fifth, a five-run bottom half gave the Minutemen back the lead for good. Mike Gedman's two-run single, tucked just inside the foul line in left, plated Baudinet and Macdonald. The next batter, sophomore Peter Copa ripped a three-run homer to left that put UMass on top, 16-14.
Donato's sacrifice fly in the sixth scored Tempesta. Then in the seventh, Multner's RBI single brought in Volpicelli and Multner came home on a sacrifice fly by Boone.
A pair of singles in the eighth yielded the 20th and final run of the day for the Minutemen as Copa singled in Donato, who reached base with a single to right.
Duquesne managed to add a pair of runs in the top of the ninth, but Mike Gedman ended the threat with a pair of ground ball outs.
Senior Mitchell Eilenberg worked 4.1 innings of middle relief and gave up two unearned runs on five hits with one walk and three strikeouts to earn the win (3-4). Heck took the loss (2-3) for the Dukes as he allowed eight runs, six earned, on nine hits with one walk and two strikeouts in 3.1 innings on the mound.
Every member of the UMass starting lineup registered at least two hits with Donato batting a perfect 4-for-4 and Volpicelli hitting 4-for-5. Donato, Volpicelli and Copa contributed a team-best four RBI apiece. Volpicelli was a triple shy of hitting for the cycle as he recorded a single, two doubles and a home run.
Bernardo plated three runs for Duquesne, while Rick Devereaux and Fallecker each finished 3-for-6 in the contest.
With Fordham still scheduled to play tonight, the Minutemen will await their seed number for the upcoming Atlantic 10 Tournament. UMass will open up play in the tourney next Wednesday, May 20, at Fifth Third Field in Dayton, Ohio.
