Strong Pitching Leads UMass Past BC in Beanpot Semifinals, 6-2

BRIGHTON, Mass. – University of Massachusetts baseball received key contributions from four pitchers, including three freshman arms, as the Minutemen defeated Boston College, 6-2, in the Beanpot Semifinals on Tuesday at the Harrington Athletics Village. With the win, UMass earns its first win over BC since the 2013 season, ending a seven-game slide against the Eagles.

The result also puts the Minutemen into the Beanpot Championship Game for the first time since 2015. UMass will meet either Harvard or Northeastern in the title matchup under the lights at Fenway Park on Wed., April 17. All tickets are general admission for the afternoon and cost $10. Tickets may be purchased online by visiting redsox.com/beanpot or by calling the Boston Red Sox Ticket Office at (877) REDSOX-9. Net ticket proceeds will benefit the Pete Frates #3 Fund, named after the former Boston College outfielder and captain who was later diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

Freshman Brad Collins (2-2) earned the win with a 3.2-inning, one-hit performance out of the bullpen in which Collins walked only one batter and logged two strikeouts. Fellow freshman Jack Steele made his first collegiate start and went three innings, allowing a single hit and classmate Kevin Dow worked the fourth frame before Collins entered for the fifth.

Junior Eddy Hart went 3-for-4 out of the two-hole, scoring twice and notching an RBI plus a walk in the win, while redshirt freshman Collin Shapiro had a 2-for-3 afternoon plus two walks, contributing a run.

UMass took a 1-0 lead in the third as a result of some small ball. Freshman Christian Walsh worked a leadoff walk, moving up to second on a sacrifice bunt from sophomore Luke Oliphant and third following a base hit from Shapiro. Hart then laid down a nice safety squeeze that allowed Walsh to dart home before BC pitcher Travis Lane could flip to the plate.

In the following frame, the Minutemen doubled their lead without needing a hit. Junior Nolan Kessinger earned a four-pitch walk to open the inning and moved into scoring position on an errant pickoff attempt. A groundout from senior Ryan Lever put Kessinger on third ahead of a wild pitch that brought him to the plate.

The Eagles would tie the score at two-all in the last of the fourth via a bases-loaded walk and a ground ball ahead of a double play.

But the Maroon and White immediately answered with a three-run fifth, regaining the lead for the rest of the day. Kessinger was hit by a pitch with the bases juiced, then Lever popped a 1-1 pitch through the right side for a two-run single that plated Hart and redshirt sophomore Anthony Videtto.

Boston College threatened with a bases-loaded opportunity in the bottom of the eighth before senior Casey Aubin went to the hill with two outs and immediately induced a groundout. Aubin would take the Minutemen home from there, working a pair of strikeouts in the ninth to put away the Massachusetts victory and secure his second save of the season.

The Minutemen added their final insurance run of the day in the top of the ninth when a pair of passed balls scored Hart.

Massachusetts' Wed., April 3 game against Northeastern has been postponed and will be made up at 3 p.m. on Tues., April 9 at Earl Lorden Field. With that change, the Minutemen will now prepare to resume Atlantic 10 play on Fri., April 5 as Saint Louis visits the Pioneer Valley for a three-game series.

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

????@CoachReynolds25, senior Ryan Lever and freshman Brad Collins speak with the media following the @BaseballBeanpot Semifinal win at BC today ???? #Flagship ?? pic.twitter.com/SfZXAYpxwH
— UMass Baseball (@UMassBaseball) April 2, 2019

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