Massachusetts Baseball Tops Army West Point, 6-2

March 13, 2016

TAMPA, Fla. - University of Massachusetts used a four-run third inning to help the squad secure a 6-2 victory over Army West Point at Jesuit High School on Sunday afternoon. The win, the first of the 2016 campaign for the Minutemen, moves the squad 1-5, while the Black Knights fall to 5-9 on the season.

The UMass bats came alive in the top of the third with five of the team's nine hits of the contest coming in the frame and resulting in a 4-0 advantage for the Minutemen. Freshman Ryan Lever drew a four-pitch walk to leadoff the inning and promptly scored when the next batter, senior Vinny Scifo, tripled to left center. Junior Jon Avallone followed with an RBI single through the right side that plated Scifo and then moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. After Avallone advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt, junior Dylan Morris drove him in with an RBI single. Two more singles from junior Mike Hart and sophomore Hunter Carey brought around Morris for UMass' fourth run.

Army West Point cut the deficit to 4-1 in the bottom half of the inning. Kris Lidner reached on a fielder's choice, moved to second on a single by Josh White and later scored on a fielder's choice ground ball by Jon Rosoff after advancing to third on a single to right by John McCarthy.

The Black Knights scored another run in the sixth courtesy of a home run to left by Stu Schley that pulled the squad to within 6-2 of the Minutemen.

However, UMass responded by putting up runs in the seventh and eighth to help seal the victory. Morris reached with a one-out single in the seventh and went to third following an error and a wild pitch. Senior John Jennings then brought in Morris with a sacrifice fly.

The Minutemen managed their sixth run of the day without registering a hit in the eighth inning. Carey drew a leadoff four-pitch walk and advanced to third via a sacrifice and a double play ball before scoring on an error.

Freshman Justin Lasko made the start on the mound for UMass and earned his first collegiate victory (1-0) as he worked six innings and let up two runs on nine hits with no walks and three strikeouts. Senior Evan Mackintosh tossed three scoreless innings out of the bullpen and picked up the save, surrendering just one hit with two walks and one strikeout. Army West Point starter Garrison Franklin took the loss (0-2) after allowing four runs on seven hits with one walk and five strikeouts over six innings on the hill.

Morris (2-for-4), Scifo (2-for-4) and Avallone (2-for-4) all had multi-hit efforts on the afternoon with Morris scoring twice and Scifo collecting two RBI, respectively.

UMass will be back on Tue., Mar. 15, when the squad will face Harvard at 10 a.m. in Clearwater, Fla.

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Dylan Morris

Vinny Scifo

Jon Avallone

Brett Evangelista

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