University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
Albany
Minutemen Bounce Back With 4-2 Win Over Albany
April 02, 2011 | Baseball
April 2, 2011
BRONX, N.Y. - After giving up a pair of early runs, the UMass baseball team scored four times in the fifth in a 4-2 come-from-behind win over Albany at Fordham's Houlihan Park in the second half of a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon. With the win over the Great Danes (5-14), the Minutemen improve to 8-11 on the season, rebounding from a one-run loss to Fordham in the first half of the twinbill.
Albany was quick to score in the contest. Jeff Welsh drew a one-out walk in the top of the first and the next batter, Brian Bullard lofted a home run over the wall in right to give the Great Danes a 2-0 lead.
Freshman Rob McLam singled in the first, but was picked off as Albany starter Dave Kubiak faced the minimum through four innings. However, UMass capitalized on Kubiak's struggles in the bottom of the fifth. With one away, both senior Peter Copa and junior Tom Conley were hit by pitches and following a strikeout, freshman Nick Sanford was hit, as well. Freshman Kyle Adie then drew a bases loaded walk to cut the deficit in half, 2-1 and Conley came in for the tying run on a wild pitch. Then, sophomore Rich Graef stepped to the plate and sent the would-be game-winning single into center to drive in Sanford and Adie.
That would be all UMass would need as starter Joe Popielarczyk, with relief from senior Charlie Benson and junior Leif Sorenson, shut out the Great Danes in all but the first.
Popielarczyk worked six innings on the hill to earn the win (1-0) for the Minutemen as he allowed two runs on five hits with two walks and five strikeouts. Benson tossed 2.2 innings and Sorenson came on in the ninth to strike out the final batter and log his fourth save of the season. Kubiak took the loss (2-3) for Albany after giving up four runs on four hits with one walk and three strikeouts in six innings on the hill.
With his third straight multi-hit game, senior Matt Gedman finished 2-for-4. Graef was 2-for-4, as well and logged two RBI. Bullard went 2-for-5 for the Great Danes and drove in a pair, while Kyle Crean and D.J. Hoagboon both batted 2-for-4.
UMass is next slated to play a home-and-home with Connecticut, beginning with a match up in Storrs on Tuesday, Apr. 5, at 3 p.m.
