Rhode Island Tops UMass Baseball, 11-8

May 14, 2016

KINGSTON, R.I. - In a contest that began with 15 combined runs over the first three innings, University of Massachusetts baseball fell at Rhode Island on Saturday afternoon, 11-8 at Bill Beck Field. Following the loss, the Minutemen drop to 14-26 overall and 7-13 in the Atlantic 10, while the Rams move to 24-22 and hold a 15-5 record in league games.

After UMass loaded the bases but could not push across a run in the top of the first, URI scored three times in the bottom half of the inning. Brett McManus drove in a pair with a double down the right field line and a sacrifice fly by Tyler Wilson gave the Rams a 3-0 lead.

The Minutemen followed up by scoring six runs in the top of the second, sending 11 batters to the plate. Junior Mike Hart knocked a two-run single through the right side to tie the score at 3-3 after junior Dylan was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force in a run. Senior John Jennings plated Morris with a double to right to give UMass a 4-3 advantage and the squad added two more in the frame courtesy of a fielder’s choice and an error.

However, Rhode Island responded with a three-run bottom of the second to pull level with the Minutemen at 6-6. An RBI single from Martin Figueroa and two hit batters with the bases loaded provided the runs for the Rams.

URI scored three more times in the bottom of the third to regain the advantage, 9-6. Figueroa’s sacrifice fly sent in the go-ahead run and two-out RBI singles from Ryan Olmo and McManus made it a three-run cushion.

UMass closed the gap to two on two more occasions, but each time Rhode Island answered with a run of its own. Morris plated freshman Cooper Mrowka with a sacrifice fly in the fifth and brought Mrowka in with a ground ball in the seventh to finish with three RBI on the day.

Redshirt senior Tim Cassidy pitched 1.2 innings of relief and took the loss (1-4) as he surrendered three runs on three hits and struck out one. Nick Johnson collected the win (2-1) for Rhode Island after tossing 2.2 innings out of the bullpen and allowing one unearned run on two hits with four walks and three strikeouts. Tyler Barrs pitched a hitless ninth and recorded the save (11).

The teams will close out their weekend series tomorrow, May, 15, with game three set for a 12 p.m. start.

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Vinny Scifo

Cooper Mrowka

Mike Hart

John Jennings

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