UMass Baseball Out-Slugged by Harvard, 9-5

March 16, 2016

CLEARWATER, Fla. - After University of Massachusetts baseball rallied from a 3-0 deficit to tie the score early, Harvard put up four runs in the top of the fourth to help carry the squad past UMass, 9-5 on Wednesday at Jack Russell Stadium. With the loss, the Minutemen fall to 1-7 on the year, while the Crimson improves to 4-5 to begin the season.

Harvard opened the contest with a three-run top of the first. With two outs and two on via a fielder’s choice and a walk, Matt Rothenberg drove a two-run double into right center that plated John Fallon and Patrick McColl. Rothenberg then scored on an error for the Crimson’s third run.

In the bottom half of the inning, UMass trimmed its deficit to 3-2. Sophomore Brett Evangelista led off with a single to left and junior Dylan Morris followed with a single of his own while advancing to second on an error that allowed Evangelista to come home. After Morris moved up to third on a ground ball, senior John Jennings brought him in with a sacrifice fly.

The Minutemen went on to tie the score at three in the third with a two-out home run by junior Mike Hart for his first of the season and second of his career.

However, Harvard responded with four runs on four hits in the top of the fourth. After a pair of singles by Josh Ellis and Trent Bryan opened the frame and Mitch Klug reached on a fielder’s choice, Fallon dropped a two-run double into left. McColl followed with a two-run single to push the Crimson advantage to 7-3.

Harvard later struck for two more runs in the top of the seventh. Conor Quinn drew a one-out walk and Rothenberg drove him in with a triple to right center. Rothenberg scored when the next batter, Ellis, sent an RBI single back up the middle.

UMass took one back in the bottom half of the inning. Morris plated senior Vinny Scifo, who opened up the bottom of the sixth with an infield single, with a sacrifice fly to pull the Minutemen to within 9-4 of the Crimson. The squad later capped off the scoring in the bottom of the ninth when Hart brought in Morris with an RBI single up the middle.

Starter Ryan Venditti took the loss (0-2) for UMass after allowing seven runs, six earned, on six hits with three walks and three strikeouts in five innings on the hill. Simon Rosenblum-Larson collected the win (1-0) for Harvard. He let up three runs, one earned, on four hits with two walks and five strikeouts over five innings of work.

Hart and freshman Matt Hosman both went 2-for-4 at the plate to lead the Minutemen’s offense with Hart logging two RBIs and scoring once. Evangelista reached base in four of his five trips to the plate, with a hit, two walks and a hit by pitch. Rothenberg finished 2-for-4 for Harvard with three RBI and two runs scored.

UMass will be back in action on Fri., Mar. 18, when the Minutemen will face Maine at 4 p.m. in Lake Myrtle, Fla.

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Mike Hart

Matt Hosman

Brett Evangelista

Dylan Morris

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