University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
Saint Louis
UMass Baseball Drops Doubleheader At Saint Louis
April 18, 2015 | Baseball
Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
SAINT LOUIS, Mo. - The UMass baseball team dropped both of its games in a double header at Saint Louis on Saturday as the squad was first edged, 1-0, in the opener before falling in the finale 13-7. Following the pair of setbacks, the Minutemen are now 11-14 overall, 7-8 in the Atlantic 10, while the Billikens improve to 27-12 overall and 9-3 in conference action.
UMass and Saint Louis battled through a pitcher's duel in the first contest of the day. The Minutemen had sophomore Matt Bare lead off the top of the third with single and reach third following a pair of groundouts, but were unable to plate the run.
In the bottom of the fourth, the Billikens scored the lone run of the contest. Jake Henson reached on a fielder's choice and later scored on a two-out RBI single to center by Danny Murphy.
UMass did not have a runner reach third the rest of the way, and junior Brandon Walsh took the loss (1-1), despite a stellar start on the mound. Walsh threw all eight innings and let up only one run on seven hits with two walks and seven strikeouts. Josh Moore collected the win (4-1) for Saint Louis as he scattered five hits over eight innings with no walks and six strikeouts. Brett Shimanovsky tossed a scoreless ninth, allowing one hit and striking out one, to pick up his fourth save of the season.
The Minutemen opened game two with two runs in the top of the first. Sophomore Bryce Maher was hit by a pitch and redshirt senior Kyle Adie reached with a one-out infield single. Then with two away, sophomore Mike Geannelis drove in the pair with a triple to right center.
However, Saint Louis promptly responded with four runs on five hits in the bottom half of the first to take a 4-2 lead in the contest, sending eight batters to the plate in the frame.
UMass countered with two runs in the second to tie the score at 4-4. Junior Vinny Scifo and sophomore Mike Hart opened up the inning with back-to-back singles. Redshirt senior Rob McLam followed with a third straight single, driving in Scifo, while Adie brought in Hart with a sacrifice fly.
The Billikens went on to break the game open, though, in the bottom of the fourth, scoring seven runs on six hits, all singles, and a pair of errors to sprint to an 11-4 advantage.
A double by redshirt senior Adam Picard, sandwiched between walks to Adie and Geannelis, loaded the bases with no outs for the Minutemen in the top of the fourth. Walsh and sophomore Dylan Morris then plated Aide and Picard with singles to center and right, respectively, while Geannelis scored on a wild pitch for UMass' seventh and final run of the day.
Saint Louis would cap off the scoring in the bottom half of the fourth with a two-run double by Braxton Martinez.
Senior Andrew Grant suffered the loss (0-4) on the mound for UMass as he let up nine runs on 11 hits with one walk and four strikeouts in 3.2 innings on the hill. Luke Sommerfeld notched the win (2-0) out of the bullpen for the Billikens, surrendering one hit over three scoreless innings of work with no walks and four strikeouts.
Geannelis paced the Minutemen at the plate in the doubleheader, going 3-for-6 over the twin bill with two RBI and a run scored. Morris was 2-for-4 with an RBI.
Murphy led the Billikens' offense with a 4-for-5 day at the dish, three RBI and two runs scored, while Henson finished the pair of games 4-for-8 with an RBI and three runs scored.
UMass will be back in action on Tuesday, April 21, when the squad is set to travel to Connecticut for a 3 p.m. contest.
