University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
Dayton
UMass Falls to Dayton, 9-5
May 21, 2009 | Baseball
May 21, 2009
DAYTON, Ohio - The UMass baseball team started out with an early 1-0 lead, but could not hold off the top offense in the conference, falling to No. 1 seed Dayton, 9-5, on Thursday afternoon at Fifth Third Field. The Minutemen (26-25) will now face No. 6 seed Charlotte in an elimination game tonight at 8:35 p.m., while the Flyers (38-17) move on to face the winner of this afternoon's #2 Rhode Island vs. #3 Xavier matchup.
UMass wasted no time getting on the board as leadoff man senior Sam Boone was nailed in the back with a pitch to begin the game and advanced to second on a groundout before senior Jim Macdonald stepped to the plate and roped a double to the 402 sign in center to bring in the run.
The 1-0 lead was brief, however, as Dayton put up three in the bottom half of the first. Jacob Spaeth started things off with a bunt single, Zach Jacob drew a walk and Marshall MacDonald sent the pair home with a double into the gap in right center. Jake Hoover knocked in MacDonald with a one-out single up the middle for the team's third run.
Then in the Flyer's half of the second, Scott Dunwoody singled up the middle, advanced to third on an error, and scored on a single through the left side by Jacob. Two batters later, a line drive single by Aaron Dunsmore hit the Minutemen's starter, Nick Serino, on the mound, forcing the sophomore to leave the game.
UMass cut its deficit to one in the top of the fourth at 4-3. Junior Mike Gedman dropped a single into right and scored on an RBI single by sophomore Kyle Multner. Sophomore Peter Copa, who poked a single through the right side to move Gedman into scoring position, crossed the plate on an error that would have ended the inning.
Back-to-back doubles gave Dayton one of the runs back in its next turn at bat. MacDonald sent a two-base hit to the wall in left and Aaron Dunsmore traded places with him, blasting a double to right to pick up the RBI.
The Flyers expanded their advantage to 7-3 in the bottom of the sixth. Dunsmore's second double of the afternoon knocked in Jacob, who began the frame with a double down the left field line, while pinch hitter Jonathan Castine lined a two-out RBI single into left to plate Dunsmore.
Mike Gedman blasted a solo home run to right to lead off the eighth and, after Copa drew a walk and Boone was hit by a pitch for a third time in the game, sophomore Matt Gedman came to the plate as the potential tying run. Matt Gedman drilled a deep fly ball, but it was that was nabbed by Spaeth in center with a running grab.
Dayton responded by tacking on two more runs in their final trip to the plate. MacDonald led off with a single and came home on a triple by Dunsmore. Dunsmore scored the second run of the inning on an RBI base knock to left off the bat of Castine. UMass added its fifth run in the top of the ninth when junior Brian Baudinet led off with a single to left and junior Mike Donato knocked him in with a double to right center.
Serino suffered the loss (5-4) for the Minutemen as he allowed four runs on six hits with two walks and two strikeouts in 1.2 innings on the mound. Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year Cameron Hobson logged the win (7-1) for Dayton as he limited UMass to four runs, three earned, on five hits, despite hitting six batters, with three walks and five strikeouts.
Dunsmore led the charge for the Flyers' offense as he went 4-for-5 at the plate with three RBI and two runs scored. MacDonald scored three times and batted 3-for-5 with two RBI, while Castine batted 2-for-2 with two RBI.
Mike Gedman was the lone Minuteman to tally multiple hits in the contest as finished 2-for-4 with a home run and two runs scored.
