UMass Out-Slugged by Charleston Southern, 12-8

March 6, 2016

CHARLESTON, S.C. - University of Massachusetts baseball erased an early 5-1 deficit, but Charleston Southern used runs in the fifth, seventh and eighth to top the Minutemen, 12-8, in the series finale between the teams on Sunday at CSU Ballpark. The loss leaves UMass at 0-3 on the year, while the Buccaneers improve to 6-5.

Brett Evangelista led off the game with a triple, which led to the first run of the day for the Minutemen before Charleston Southern responded with five runs on six hits in the bottom of the first to pull in front, 5-1.

Ryan Lever and Dylan Morris opened UMass’ half of the second with back-to-back singles and later scored on an error and a sacrifice fly, respectively. Mike Hart capped off the scoring in the frame with an RBI single through the right side that brought in Evangelista and cut the deficit to 5-4.

The Bucs took two of the runs back in their next turn at bat. With one out and Cole German and Bryan Dye on via singles, Chris Singleton drove an RBI double into left. Cole Murphy then plated Dye with a sacrifice fly that made it a 7-4 margin.

Lever drew a leadoff walk and came in on a single by Jon Avallone in the third for UMass’ fifth run of the day, setting up the Minutemen to take the lead in the fourth. Hart, John Jennings and Hunter Carey opened up the fourth inning with three consecutive singles before an RBI groundout by Lever and a two-run single from Dylan Morris put UMass on top, 8-7.

However, Charleston Southern answered with the tying run in the bottom half courtesy of an RBI single by Ryan Maksim. Nate Blanchard scored the go-ahead run for the Bucs in the fifth followinga leadoff triple and a wild pitch.

The Buccaneers went on to add a run on a bases loaded walk in the seventh and two more in the eighth to help seal the win.

Ryan Venditti took the loss (0-1) for the Minutemen out of the bullpen, allowing three runs on five hits with five walks and two strikeouts over 4.2 innings. Adam Andrew tossed 1.2 scoreless innings of relief for Charleston Southern to earn the win (1-0), letting up one hit and walking two.

Hart (3-for-5) and Morris (3-for-4) combined for six of UMass’ 14 hits in the contest, while Vinny Scifo and Morris each contributed two RBI apiece. Blanchard led the Bucs’ offense, going 4-for-6 with three runs scored.

The Minutemen will be back in action next Sat., Mar. 12, when the squad will open up their spring break trip to Florida with a doubleheader against Army West Point beginning at 4 p.m. in Tampa, Fla.

Scoreboard

Next Event

Team Stats

Mike Hart

Dylan Morris

John Jennings

Hunter Carey

Scoreboard

University of Massachusets Athletics