Beanpot Champs! Minutemen Rally For Walk-Off Win vs. Harvard, 10-9

BOSTON – Trailing 9-8 heading into the ninth inning, University of Massachusetts baseball rallied in the final frame to score twice and defeat Harvard, 10-9, Wednesday night at Fenway Park in the Beanpot Championship Game. The victory in heroic fashion gives the Minutemen their seventh Beanpot title in program history and first since 2012.

Redshirt sophomore Anthony Videtto sparked the ninth inning rally with a double down the left field line, advancing to third on a wild pitch and scored the tying run on a Connor Smith single. Freshman Luke Gutos came in to pinch run for Smith, moving into scoring position on a bunt single by senior Ryan Lever. A sacrifice bunt by senior Alec Norton pushed Gutos to third with the winning run before senior Logan Greene stepped into the box as a pinch hitter, sending a 1-0 pitch to center field for a sac fly that brought Gutos home and brought the Minutemen out of the Boston Red Sox dugout in celebration.

After three early runs by Harvard in the first two innings, UMass got on the scoreboard in the third when junior Eddy Hart tripled to right center, scoring redshirt freshman Collin Shapiro. Junior Nolan Kessinger followed with an extra base hit of his own, a double to right center that scored Hart. Later in the inning, Lever singled, driving in Videtto to tie the game at three.

After the Crimson added four runs in the top of the fifth, Massachusetts battled back with two in the bottom half. With the bases loaded, sophomore Luke Oliphant hit a deep single to center scoring Smith. Shapiro followed with another single, scoring Norton, but a double play ended the Minutemen scoring chance.

Harvard picked up runs in the sixth and seventh respectively to take a 9-5 lead, but UMass responded with three in the bottom half of the seventh. Oliphant started the action for the Minutemen with a one-out single and came around to score on three wild pitches throughout the inning. Later in the seventh, Shapiro and Hart scored after a Videtto single to left, bringing the Minutemen deficit to 9-8.

For the third time this season, each player in the Minutemen lineup recorded a hit. The Minutemen matched the feat they accomplished March 8 at UT Rio Grande Valley as well as April 7 vs. Saint Louis. Videtto, Lever and Oliphant led the way for the Minutemen each with three hits.

Senior Justin Lasko started the game on the mound for UMass, throwing the first inning. He gave up one run on one hit, while striking out two to begin a staff day. Freshman Kevin Dow had the longest UMass outing, working three innings, striking out three and giving up two earned runs. Senior Casey Aubin (2-0) earned the win for UMass as the Minutemen improved to 11-18 on the 2019 campaign. It was the second straight game for UMass at Fenway Park in which Aubin was the winning pitcher, as the Durham, New Hampshire native also picked up the victory in the Beanpot Consolation game against Northeastern on April 19, 2017.

Kieran Shaw (0-2) took the loss for Harvard as the Crimson fall to 18-9.

Next up for the Minutemen is a four-game road set against Maine. The Minutemen and Black Bears will square off at 4 p.m. Friday, before a doubleheader on Saturday, with the series finale scheduled for Sunday at 12 p.m.

For the latest news and updates around UMass baseball, follow the team on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @UMassBaseball.

Scoreboard

Beanpot Champs! Minutemen Rally For Walk-Off Win vs. Harvard, 10-9

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Team Stats

Anthony Videtto

Ryan Lever

Luke Oliphant

Collin Shapiro

Players Mentioned

Casey Aubin

Kevin Dow

Logan Greene

Luke Gutos

Eddy Hart

Nolan Kessinger

Justin Lasko

Ryan Lever

Alec Norton

Luke Oliphant

Collin Shapiro

Connor Smith

Anthony Videtto

Players Mentioned

Casey Aubin

Kevin Dow

Logan Greene

Luke Gutos

Eddy Hart

Nolan Kessinger

Justin Lasko

Ryan Lever

Alec Norton

Luke Oliphant

Collin Shapiro

Connor Smith

Anthony Videtto

Scoreboard

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