University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
Hartford
Minutemen Down Hartford 14-6 In Home Opener
March 24, 2010 | Baseball
March 24, 2010
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AMHERST, Mass. - The UMass baseball team picked up right where it left off in 2009, posting a decisive 14-6 victory over Hartford in the squad's home opener at Earl Lorden Field on Wednesday afternoon. The Minutemen (1-9), have now won seven straight in Amherst, dating back to May 9 of last season against Rhode Island, scoring 10+ runs in each of those contests. Junior Matt Gedman and senior Mike Donato combined for nine RBI against the Hawks (3-7), with Gedman finishing the afternoon 4-for-4 with two doubles, a home run and four runs scored.
After a scoreless top of the first, the UMass offense went to work in its first turn at bat, quickly getting out to a 4-0 lead with five straight hits. Gedman drove in his first of a career-high five RBI on the day with a double down the right field line to put the Minutemen on the board. The two-bagger for Gedman plated freshman Ryan Cusick and extended his hitting streak to 11. Donato and senior Brian Baudinet had subsequent RBI singles that brought in the squad's next three runs.
UMass proceeded to score in each next four innings. Gedman came up again in the second and lofted a two-run double into left center. The next batter, Donato, knocked Gedman in with an RBI single.
Freshman Rich Graef increased the Minutemen's advantage to 8-0 in the bottom of the third. His double to left scored junior Corey Volpicelli, who reached on a fielder's choice.
Hartford added its first run of the game in the top of the fourth as Matt Walker sent a one-out single up the middle and later scampered home on a wild pitch. In the bottom half of the frame, however, UMass responded with a pair of runs as Gedman homered to right after junior Eric Fredette sent a leadoff double into left center.
The Hawks scored again in the fifth. Mike Amendola was hit by a pitch and came in on an RBI groundout by Mike Aldrich, but once again the Minutemen countered with two runs in the bottom of the inning. Following consecutive one-out singles by Volpicelli and Graef, Cusick dropped a double into left and picked up his first two RBI of his UMass career.
A two-run double by Jason Freethey in the seventh and consecutive RBI groundouts by Aldrich and Rodger Wilmot in the top of the eighth brought Hartford within 12-6 of the Minutemen. However Donato pushed the margin back to eight in UMass' final turn at the plate, hitting a 2-2 pitch over the fence in right after Gedman reached base with an infield single.
Sophomore Isaac Oakley earned his first career win (1-1) as he let up just one run on four hits in five innings on the hill, walking one and striking out four. Anthony Mannuccia took the loss (0-3) in his start for the Hawks. He surrendered 12 runs, nine earned, on 15 hits with no walks and one strikeout over 4.1 innings of work.
Behind Gedman, Donato finished the day 3-for-5 with a home run, four RBI and two runs scored for the Minutemen. Cusick and Baudinet each went 3-for-5, as well, contributing two RBI apiece. Cusick scored twice, as did Volpicelli. Fredette batted 2-for-5 with three runs scored and Graef was 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI.
Andrew Siano (2-for-4) and Andy Drexel (2-for-5) were the lone Hartford batters to tally multiple hits on the afternoon. Amendola scored twice, while Aldrich and Freethey each registered two RBI.
UMass will be back in action on Friday, March 26, when the squad will begin Atlantic 10 play against Saint Joseph's. The squads will square off in Camden, N.J., at 7 p.m.
