University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
Charlotte
UMass Rallies, 6-5, to Remain in Tournament
May 22, 2009 | Baseball
May 21, 2009
DAYTON, Ohio - Late-inning heroics by the Gedman brothers helped carry the UMass baseball team past No. 6 Charlotte, 6-5, in a 10-inning thriller elimination game at Fifth Third Field in the Atlantic 10 Tournament on Thursday night. With the victory, the Minutemen improve to 27-25, the most wins for the squad since 2001, and will advance to play No. 3 Xavier tomorrow afternoon at 3:30 p.m. Charlotte ends its season with a record of 33-22.
Junior Mike Gedman and sophomore Matt Gedman combined for five of UMass' 12 hits on the night, scoring three of the team's six runs and driving in three. Mike Gedman went 3-for-5 with a home run, three runs scored and an RBI, while younger brother Matt batted 2-for-3 and drove in two.
Consecutive singles to open the game helped the team get on the board as senior Sam Boone led off the first with a single to right, moved to third on a flare to right center by senior Adam Tempesta and senior Jim Macdonald brought him home with a sacrifice fly.
Charlotte promptly tied the score at one in the bottom of the first as Justin Wilson doubled to the left field corner and came in on a single to left by Rob Lyerly. The 49ers then took the lead, 2-1, on a bases loaded walk to Aaron Bray that forced in Zane Williams.
After being held off the scoreboard in the second, Charlotte increased its advantage to two in the third as Lyerly opened up the frame with solo home run to the seats in left.
The 49ers pushed across a fourth run two innings later. Williams drew a walk to begin the fifth and scored on a fielder's choice RBI ground ball by Grant Bomann.
With two in the top of the seventh, the Minutemen pulled within a run of Charlotte, cutting its deficit to 4-3. Mike Gedman dropped a leadoff single into center and freshman Tom Conley reached on an error. Matt Gedman followed up and moved the runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Then his classmate, Kyle Multner, sent in Mike Gedman with an RBI single to left. Conley later scored on a fielder's choice RBI ground ball by Boone for the team's third run.
After Charlotte went down in order in the bottom of the seventh, Mike Gedman rocketed a pitch to straightaway center to tie the score at four with two away in the top of the eighth. The homer was his second of the day and fifth of the season as he hit one out in the squad's game against Dayton this afternoon.
In the bottom of the ninth, the 49ers threatened to end the game as Cory Tilton chopped a single that bounded just past the pitcher's mound to lead off the inning and stood at third with two outs. With Lyerly at the plate, sophomore Charlie Benson ended the threat by getting the near-.400 hitter to fly out to left.
With one down in the top of the 10th, junior Mike Donato lined a single into right to start things off for UMass. After back-to-back infield hits by Mike Gedman and Conley loaded the bases, Matt Gedman sent a ball into right, just out of the reach of Mike Perkins at second, for a two-run single that gave the Minutemen a 6-4 lead.
Charlotte had an opportunity to tie the score in the bottom half as Ryan Rivers singled to right and scored on an RBI groundout by Bomann that brought the score to 6-5. Bray, who tallied the hit that moved Bomann to third, represented the tying run but was thrown out while attempting to steal second. Junior Brian Leigh finished his hitless ninth by getting Alan Parks to strike out looking to end the game and collected his fourth save of the season.
Benson pitched three innings in relief of starter Jared Freni and logged the win (3-0) for UMass as he let up one run on three hits with no walks and two strikeouts. Freni threw six innings and posted a new career high with nine strikeouts, as well.
Sam Pierce took the loss for the 49ers as he worked 1.2 innings of relief and gave up one run on one hit with no walks and one strikeout.
In addition to the Gedmans, Conley also had a multiple-hit game as he was 2-for-4 with a run scored. Lyerly paced Charlotte's hitters as he finished 3-for-5 with two RBI and a run scored, while Wilson hit 2-for-3 and scored once.
