University of Massachusets Athletics
Friday, March 12
North Andover, Mass.
3 p.m.
University of Massachusetts
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Merrimack
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Photo by: Ben Barnhart - UMass Athletics
Late Push Gives Baseball 6-4 Series-Opening Win at Merrimack
March 12, 2021 | Baseball
Minutemen score five unanswered runs in final innings
ANDOVER, Mass. – University of Massachusetts baseball faced a 4-1 deficit through six innings, but the Minutemen answered with five unanswered runs and ultimately defeated Merrimack, 6-4, on Friday at Greater Lawrence Tech. UMass is now 3-2 following the win, while the Warriors drop to 2-4.
Eddy Hart tied a career-high scoring three times out of the leadoff spot, and Kevin Skagerlind went 2-for-4 in the nine-hole with a walk and run scored. It marked Skagerlind's first collegiate multi-hit game and first double as a Minuteman. Dylan Judd drove in two runs early in the ballgame as well.
Merrimack took an early 2-0 lead and the Minutemen halved that deficit in the top of the third on a Judd groundout, bringing Hart home. The Warriors would add some insurance though in the home half of the sixth, thanks to a two-run single from Bryant Skurbe.
UMass would tie things up in the seventh sending eight men to bat. Judd was hit by an 0-1 pitch with the bases loaded, then after a Merrimack pitching change Aidan Wilde popped an infield single that again scored Hart. The Minutemen capped the comeback with a Mike Gervasi sacrifice fly bringing Chris Pearsons 90 feet home.
The 4-4 score remained until the top of the eighth when two errors opened the door for the Minutemen. Pinch hitter Jack Whorf reached base and pinch runner Kevin Gower moved into scoring position thanks to a defensive miscue. Later with two outs and the bases loaded due to a walk to Hart, Whorf brought in the go-ahead run on a wild pitch. Hart scored for a third time on a ground ball from Aidan Wilde that was misplayed by Merrimack.
The win in relief went to Jared Henry (1-0) who worked a 1-2-3 seventh inning, setting the stage for a two-innning save from Jack Pawloski (2). Despite receiving a no-decision, Minutemen starter Ben Shields went five innings and struck out a career-high nine batters. Shields allowed two runs on two hits and did not walk a single batter.
Massachusetts and Merrimack play the middle game of the series at 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 13.
Eddy Hart tied a career-high scoring three times out of the leadoff spot, and Kevin Skagerlind went 2-for-4 in the nine-hole with a walk and run scored. It marked Skagerlind's first collegiate multi-hit game and first double as a Minuteman. Dylan Judd drove in two runs early in the ballgame as well.
Merrimack took an early 2-0 lead and the Minutemen halved that deficit in the top of the third on a Judd groundout, bringing Hart home. The Warriors would add some insurance though in the home half of the sixth, thanks to a two-run single from Bryant Skurbe.
UMass would tie things up in the seventh sending eight men to bat. Judd was hit by an 0-1 pitch with the bases loaded, then after a Merrimack pitching change Aidan Wilde popped an infield single that again scored Hart. The Minutemen capped the comeback with a Mike Gervasi sacrifice fly bringing Chris Pearsons 90 feet home.
The 4-4 score remained until the top of the eighth when two errors opened the door for the Minutemen. Pinch hitter Jack Whorf reached base and pinch runner Kevin Gower moved into scoring position thanks to a defensive miscue. Later with two outs and the bases loaded due to a walk to Hart, Whorf brought in the go-ahead run on a wild pitch. Hart scored for a third time on a ground ball from Aidan Wilde that was misplayed by Merrimack.
The win in relief went to Jared Henry (1-0) who worked a 1-2-3 seventh inning, setting the stage for a two-innning save from Jack Pawloski (2). Despite receiving a no-decision, Minutemen starter Ben Shields went five innings and struck out a career-high nine batters. Shields allowed two runs on two hits and did not walk a single batter.
Massachusetts and Merrimack play the middle game of the series at 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 13.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Henry, Jared (1-0)
L: Gillette, C. (0-1)
S: Pawloski, Jack (2)
Batting:
2B: Skagerlind, Kevin 1
RBI: Judd, Dylan 2 ; Wilde, Aidan 1 ; Gervasi, Mike 1
SF: Gervasi, Mike 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hart, Eddy 3 ; Pearsons, Chris 1 ; Whorf, Jack 1 ; Skagerlind, Kevin 1
SB: Wilde, Aidan 2
HBP: Hart, Eddy 2 ; Judd, Dylan 1 ; Foster, Erik 1
Batting:
2B: Shumski, N. 1
RBI: Skurbe, B. 2 ; Nelson, B. 2
SH: Nelson, B. 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Shumski, N. 1 ; Joyce, T. 2 ; Stadnicki, K. 1
HBP: Joyce, T. 2 ; Golankiewicz, M. 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
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1
H
2
RBI
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AB
5
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1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
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H
1
RBI
1
AB
5
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
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INF
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