University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
Bradley
Bradley Edges UMass Baseball, 3-2
March 13, 2011 | Baseball
March 13, 2011
LAKELAND, Fla. - The UMass baseball team held an early lead, but a two-run sixth helped Bradley edge the Minutemen, 3-2, on Sunday evening at Henley Field. Following the setback, UMass is now 1-5 on the year, while the Braves improve to 9-4.
Sophomore Rich Graef led off the game with a single to left, stole second and scored on a sacrifice fly by senior Eric Fredette to put the Minutemen out in front, 1-0.
Bradley leveled the score in the bottom of the second. Jerrod Eigsti was hit by a pitch to begin the frame and was sacrificed over to second by David Compitello. Eigsti went to third on an infield single and scored with two outs when Bob Schuch became the second batter of the inning to hit a ball back up the middle that glanced off UMass pitcher Rob Machado.
The Minutemen regained the lead in the top of the fourth after taking advantage of an error that allowed Fredette to reach base to open up UMass' turn at the plate. Senior Matt Gedman successfully advanced the runner with a sacrifice bunt and senior Kyle Multner plated Fredette with an RBI single to right.
That would be the Minutemen's final hit of the contest, however. After having runners thrown out on the basepaths in both the fourth and fifth innings, the Braves eventually broke through with a pair of runs in the sixth. Rob Elliott led off with a double and moved to third on a passed ball with two down in the frame. Then three straight two-out singles by Eigsti, Compitello and Jason Leblebijian leveled the score at 2-2, while a bases loaded balk sent Eigsti home for the would-be winning run.
Machado threw six innings and took the loss (0-2) after surrendering three runs on nine hits with no walks and four strikeouts. Jacob Booden (2-0) picked up the win (2-0) in his start for Bradley. He gave up two runs, one earned, on four hits with no walks and five strikeouts. Justin Ziegler retired all three batters he faced in the ninth to record the save (5).
Eigsti, Leblebijian and Schuch all went 2-for-3 at the plate in the contest for the Braves with Eigsti scoring twice and picking up an RBI. Fredette and Multner drove in the runs for UMass, while Fredette scored once, as well.
The Minutemen will be back in action tomorrow afternoon, taking on Navy at Chain of Lakes Park Stadium at 3 p.m.
