UMass Baseball Walks Off with 6-5 Win Over CCSU

April 12, 2016

AMHERST, Mass. - Senior John Jennings drove a two-out, full-count pitch up the middle that scored junior Mike Hart to lift the University of Massachusetts baseball team to a 6-5 victory over Central Connecticut in 10 innings on Tuesday afternoon at Earl Lorden Field. The win moves the Minutemen to 7-13 on the season, while the Blue Devils fall to 13-17 overall.

CCSU opened the game with a pair of hits, including a leadoff double from Dean Lockery, and used a sacrifice fly to plate get on the board in the top of the first.

UMass responded in the bottom half of the frame, tying the game with an RBI double from junior Dylan Morris after sophomore Brett Evangelista began the inning with a walk. Hart then plated Morris with a single to center to put the Minutemen in front, 2-1.

The Blue Devils regained the lead, 3-2, with a two-run homer by Ryan Costello in the top of the third only to have UMass counter with the tying run in its next trip to the plate. Jennings drew a one-out walk and later crossed the plate on a passed ball.

Central Connecticut climbed back on top with a solo shot from Nick Garland in the fourth, but once again the Minutemen answered in the bottom half. Senior Vinny Scifo and Evangelista started off the inning with back-to-back singles and Scifo came home on a double steal attempt.

Garland put CCSU ahead, 5-4, with a sacrifice fly in the top of the sixth and the score remained unchanged until UMass was down to its final strike in the bottom of the ninth. With runners on first and second with two outs, pinch hitter Jon Avallone sent a high chopper into the middle of the infield. The throw to first sailed wide of the bag, allowing pinch runner Alec Norton to come home and tie the score at 5-5.

In the bottom of the 10th, Hart reached on a fielder’s choice ground ball and stole second before scoring on Jennings’ game-winning single.

Senior Ben Panunzio worked 1.2 innings of scoreless relief, allowing just one hit and recording two strikeouts en route to the victory (1-1). Stanley Wolpiuk pitched the 10th for the Blue Devils and took the loss (0-1), allowing two hits.

UMass will be back in action tomorrow afternoon, Apr. 13, at Boston College, facing the Eagles in a Beanpot first round matchup at 3 p.m. in Chestnut Hill.

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Team Stats

Brett Evangelista

Mike Geannelis

Dylan Morris

Hunter Carey

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