University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
St. Bonaventure
12-7 Win Caps Series Sweep
May 03, 2009 | Baseball
May 3, 2009
AMHERST, Mass. - The UMass baseball team stormed back from a 7-3 deficit, scoring the final nine runs of the game to complete its second Atlantic 10 series sweep of the season, downing St. Bonventure 12-7 on Sunday afternoon at Earl Lorden Field. After beginning their 2009 conference slate with a 1-7 record, the Minutemen have now won 10 of their last 13 A-10 games to move to 11-10 in the league and sit at 19-22 overall. The Bonnies drop to 21-20 overall and 7-13 in the A-10 following the loss.
St. Bonaventure began the scoring in the first inning, pushing across a run with two outs. Jesse Bosnik drew a walk, stole second and went to third on an errant throw on the play. Ryan Skellie followed with a ball hit into the hole at shortstop that plated the runner.
UMass tied the score at 1-1 with one swing of the bat in the bottom of the frame as junior Brian Baudinet ripped the first pitch he saw into the bushes in left for a solo home run.
However in the top of the third, the Bonnies responded with a long ball of their own. Brad Steinbach lofted a two-out double into deep center that brought Bosnik to the dish and Bosnik hit a two-run shot to left to put St. Bonaventure on top, 3-1.
The Minutemen took one of the runs back in their next turn at bat. Senior Adam Tempesta poked a one-out single through the left side, stole second and came home on a well-placed double just inside the left field line by senior Jim Macdonald.
The scoring continued in the top of the fourth. Michael Greico singled to right and Alex Calderon doubled him in with a ball hit over Baudinet's head in center. Calderon then stole third and crossed the plate on a bunt single by Jamie Wallschlaeger for the Bonnies' fifth run of the day.
After a solo home run by sophomore Kyle Multner cut UMass' deficit to two in the bottom of the inning, St. Bonaventure expanded its advantage to 7-3 with another pair in the top of the fifth. Bosnik was hit by a pitch and Skellie tripled to centerfield to send him home. Skellie then trotted in from third on a RBI single to shallow center by Kyle Gorby that chased starter Jared Freni from the game. Sophomore Charlie Benson relieved him and fanned the next two batters before inducing a ground ball to end the inning.
Benson retired the side in order in the sixth and the Minutemen began their comeback in the bottom half. Junior Mike Gedman legged out an infield hit and freshman Tom Conley sent a ball over the fence in left, a two-run shot and first of his career that brought UMass within two at 7-5.
The Minutemen then exploded for six runs on five hits in the seventh. Following a walk to senior Sam Boone and a single by Tempesta, Madonald successfully executed a sacrifice bunt to move up the runners. With first base open, an intentional pass was issued to junior Mike Donato, loading the bases for Mike Gedman. Gedman stepped to the plate and rocketed a bases-clearing double into right center that put UMass on top, 8-7. His brother, sophomore Matt Gedman, drove him with a single to left after Conley drew a four-pitch walk. Conley later came home on an RBI groundout by Boone to complete the scoring in the inning.
In the eighth, the Minutemen added a 12th and final run as Baudinet walked, moved to second on a wild pitch and crossed the plate on a single to right by Donato.
Benson pitched five scoreless innings of relief to earn the win (2-0) for UMass. He scattered three hits, struck out five and did not walk a batter. Dennis Sherba took the loss (6-2) for the Bonnies as he surrendered seven runs on five hits with two walks and no strikeouts in 1.1 innings on the mound.
Of the eight Minutemen two logged hits in the contest, five posted multiple base knocks on the afternoon as Multner was 2-for-3, Baudinet, Macdonald and Mike Gedman all went 2-for-4 and Tempesta finished 2-for-5. Baudinet scored three times and drove in two, while Mike Gedman totaled three RBI and scored two runs.
For St. Saint Bonaventure, Skellie led the offense with a 3-for-5 performance at the plate with two RBI and a run scored and Bosnik hit 2-for-3 with two RBI and three runs scored.
UMass will be back in action on Wednesday, May 6, when the team will travel to Boston, Mass., for its final road game of the regular season, at Northeastern at 3 p.m.
