University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
La Salle
Freni Pitches UMass To 4-1 Win Over La Salle
May 21, 2010 | Baseball
May 21, 2010
AMHERST, Mass. - Behind senior Jared Freni's second complete game of the year, the UMass baseball team picked up a 4-1 win over La Salle at Earl Lorden Field on Friday afternoon. The victory moves the Minutemen to 18-27 on the season, 12-14 in the Atlantic 10, while the Explorers fall to 21-29 overall and sit at 14-12 in conference play.
La Salle took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first as leadoff hitter Tony Negrin legged out an infield single and came around to score on a double down the right field line by Brian Meagher.
Freshman Ryan Cusick promptly tied things up at 1-1 in UMass' half of the inning, hitting a ball over the fence in left for his first collegiate home run. The Minutemen later climbed on top, 2-1, with two down in the bottom of the fourth. Senior Brian Baudinet lined a double to the gap in right center and moved to third on a fly ball by junior Peter Copa before crossing the plate on an RBI double by senior Mike Gedman.
UMass then increased its advantage to 4-1, scoring a pair on the bottom of the fifth. Cusick worked a one-out walk and advanced to second on a single through the left side by junior Eric Fredette. Junior Matt Gedman plated Cusick with a single up the middle, while senior Mike Donato drove in Fredette with an RBI ground ball hit to the right side.
That was all the run support Freni would need as he held the Explorers to one run on six hits with three walks and six strikeouts, earning the victory (3-5) for the Minutemen. Cody Weiss threw six innings in his start for La Salle and took the loss (3-5). Weiss let up four runs on seven hits with two walks and four strikeouts.
In a balanced effort, eight UMass batters combined for the squad's nine hits, led by a 2-for-4 performance from Baudinet, who doubled and scored a run. Cusick had an RBI and scored twice, while Matt Gedman, Donato and Mike Gedman registered one RBI apiece.
Negrin was the lone member of the Explorers to record multiple hits on the afternoon, going 2-for-4 with a run scored.
The Minutemen will wrap up the 2010 season with game three of its series against Las Salle tomorrow, Saturday, May 22, beginning at noon at Earl Lorden Field. UMass' seven seniors will be honored in a Senior Day ceremony prior to the start of the contest.
