University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
8-22, 0
Rhode Island
15-15-1, 0
Dominant Game 2 Effort Earns Doubleheader Split for Minutemen
April 23, 2021 | Baseball
UMass dropped a tough game one in extras, but led start to finish in the nightcap
The teams will conclude the weekend series with a 7-inning game and a 9-inning contest on Sat., April 24 beginning at noon from Bill Beck Field.
Game 1
Rhode Island 8, Massachusetts 7 (10 innings)
UMass led by two in the ninth, but Rhode Island used a two-out walk and a two-run homer by Xavier Vargas to level the score at seven before walking off in the 10th inning.
Dylan Judd and Mike Gervasi each had a pair of hits, including a solo homer for Gervasi, his second of the season.
In the third inning, the Minutemen went on the board and grabbed a 3-2 lead. Eddy Hart dropped down a bunt with Kevin Skagerlind at third, then aided by a throwing error Collin Shapiro was able to sprint home from second to tie the score at two. The two-base error put Hart on third and allowed him to jog home when Dylan Judd, next up, laced a single up the middle.
The teams traded runs over the next several innings, with UMass taking a 7-5 lead in the top of the seventh. Michael Rounds put a single into right field plating Judd, then Chris Pearsons' sac fly brought Gervasi home.
The win on the mound went to URI's Zach Fernandez after Fernandez went the final five innings for the Rams.
Jared Henry received the loss for UMass in the extra-inning setback. As part of the new NCAA rule placing a runner at second base in extra innings, the winning run for Rhode Island was charged to Henry, but is unearned.
Game 2
Massachusetts 11, Rhode Island 2 (7 innings)
A six-spot in the top of the first gave the Minutemen a lead they would not relinquish and the squad padded the advantage with four more in third and another run in the fifth inning. All nine in the starting lineup reached base and scored a run for Massachusetts.
Down the lineup, Dylan Judd, Mike Gervasi and Josh Petrucci all had two hits each, including doubles for Judd and Petrucci. Petrucci's hits were his first as a Minuteman, as were his two RBI, and Kevin Skagerlind also recorded his first collegiate triple in the win.
Gervasi provided three RBI by way of a first-inning ground out then a two-run single in the third that scored Eddy Hart plus Judd.
Jack Steele went the distance on the mound for the win, scattering seven Rhody hits and recording six strikeouts along the way with three walks. For URI, Domenic Picone took the loss, on the hook for the six-run first inning.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Steele, Jack (3-5)
L: PICONE, Domenic (1-2)
Batting:
2B: Judd, Dylan 1 ; Petrucci, Josh 1
3B: Skagerlind, Kevin 1
RBI: Shapiro, Collin 1 ; Skagerlind, Kevin 1 ; Hart, Eddy 1 ; Judd, Dylan 1 ; Gervasi, Mike 3 ; Rounds, Michael 1 ; Pearsons, Chris 1 ; Petrucci, Josh 2
SH: Shapiro, Collin 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Shapiro, Collin 1 ; Skagerlind, Kevin 1 ; Hart, Eddy 2 ; Judd, Dylan 2 ; Gervasi, Mike 1 ; Rounds, Michael 1 ; Luttazi, Steve 1 ; Pearsons, Chris 1 ; Petrucci, Josh 1
Batting:
2B: BRODEUR, Josh 1 ; RAMIREZ, Alex 1
RBI: VARGAS, Xavier 1
Base Running:
RUNS: BRODEUR, Josh 1 ; KOPACK, Addison 1
SB: CAVALIERE, Greg 1
HBP: CAVALIERE, Greg 2 ; ULLIANA, Sonny 1
PO: MCCALL, Calvin 1
