University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
William & Mary
William & Mary Out-Slugs Baseball, 17-13
March 21, 2010 | Baseball
March 21, 2010
AMHERST, Mass. - The UMass baseball team had its best offensive output of the season thus far, but could not hold off William & Mary, closing out the series against the Tribe with a 17-13 loss at Plumeri Park on Sunday afternoon. The Minutemen had 16 hits, four of which were home runs, but fall to 0-9 on the season, while William & Mary moves to 13-6.
The Tribe began the contest with a 1-0 lead after getting on the board in the bottom of the second. Ryan Williams sent a one-out triple into center and scored on an RBI groundout by Sean Aiken.
UMass responded by putting up eight runs in its next turn at bat. Junior Kyle Multner led off the inning with a single and came home when the next batter, senior Brian Baudinet, ripped a double down the right field line. Baudinet later crossed the plate on an error, while junior Matt Gedman and senior Garrett Glashoff had RBI singles to knock in senior Mike Donato and junior Peter Copa. The ninth batter in the inning, sophomore Tom Conley, drew a walk to load the bases for Multner with two outs. Multner blasted a grand slam over the fence in left center to expand the Minutemen's lead to 8-1.
In the bottom half of the frame, William & Mary took two of the runs back, bringing the score to 8-3. Consecutive walks to Bryson Kemler and Ryan Brown set up a sacrifice fly by Tadd Bower and an RBI single up the middle off the bat of Chris Forsten.
Then in the Tribe's half of the fifth, Derrick Osteen opened up with a double down the left field line and crossed the plate on a base knock by Forsten for the team's fourth run. William & Mary completed its comeback with a five-run sixth. Jonathan Slattery reached with a single and scored on a bases loaded walk to Bower with two down. The next batter, Forsten, hit a grand slam that put William & Mary back on top, 9-8.
An RBI single by Matt Gedman in the top of the seventh tied things up at nine, but the Tribe quickly pulled away with eight runs on seven hits in the bottom half of the frame. Doubles by Forsten and Stephen Arcure helped the squad take a 17-9 lead into the ninth.
UMass had four hits for extra bases in its final turn at bat, including home runs by Copa, Conley and Multner, but the rally fell short as Baudinet's fly out to left ended the game.
In relief of starter Mike Gedman, senior Bryan Leigh came out of the bullpen and took the loss (0-2) for the Minutemen. In two innings on the hill, Leigh let up eight runs on seven hits with two walks and no strikeouts. William & Mary reliever Matt Davenport logged the win (4-0), working 4.1 innings and allowing two runs on six hits with no walks and two strikeouts.
Multner had a career day to lead the UMass batters, going 4-for-5 with two home runs, five RBI and three runs scored. Matt Gedman finished 4-for-5, as well, as he contributed two RBI and scored twice. Copa batted 2-for-4 with a homer, two runs scored and an RBI, Baudinet went 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored, and Conley drove in two and scored twice.
Forsten provided the Tribe with eight RBI as he went 4-for-5 on the afternoon with a double, a home run and two runs scored. Williams and Slattery also posted 4-for-5 performances and scored twice each. Bower, Arcure and Slattery chipped in two RBI apiece.
The Minutemen will be back in action on Wednesday, Mar. 24, when the squad will play its home opener against Hartford. First pitch is slated for 3 p.m. at Earl Lorden Field.
