University of Massachusets Athletics
Friday, April 30
Bronx, N.Y.
3 p.m.
University of Massachusetts
11-24, 0
4
at
2
Fordham
18-13, 0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Massachusetts
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
3
0
4
8
0
Fordham
0
0
0
1
0
0
1
0
0
2
13
1
Massachusetts Takes Series Opener at Fordham, 4-2
April 30, 2021 | Baseball
Pitching staff carries Minutemen and big eighth inning secures road win
BRONX, N.Y. – Trailing 2-1 entering the eighth inning, University of Massachusetts baseball put up a three-spot and held on for a 4-2 win over Fordham in the teams' series opener on Friday at Houlihan Park. It's the first win for the Minutemen against the Rams since 2017.
Catcher Dylan Judd was 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI singles and six other Minutemen found their way into the hit column. Judd has reached base in 11 consecutive games, and now owns as many multi-hit performances on the season.
Not to be overlooked was the effort of the Massachusetts pitching staff. Southpaw Kevin Dow received the start and went six shutout innings, recording six strikeouts, walking none and scattering nine hits. Fellow left-hander Scott LeSiuer relieved Dow and worked into the eighth. Then, Zach Clevenger entered with two on and one out, escaping the eighth unharmed and taking the Minutemen home from there for the save.
The game remained scoreless until the fourth inning when Fordham took a 1-0 lead thanks to a solo home run from Zach Selinger.
UMass would equalize in the top of the sixth, with center fielder Kevin Skagerlind coming aboard with an infield single. Skagerlind would steal second base, then come in to score on Judd's single up the middle.
Fordham would pull back ahead, 2-1, on a sacrifice fly in the Rams' half of the seventh.
But a rally in the eighth would swing momentum the way of the Minutemen for the rest of the night. Pinch runner Chris Pearsons moved up to second base on a sac bunt laid down by left fielder Collin Shapiro, then after UMass loaded the bases, Judd and Michael Rounds popped RBI singles to left field with a Mike Gervasi sac fly in between. Pearsons, Skagerlind and Eddy Hart all scored in the sequence.
In the bottom of the frame, Fordham put runners on first and second with one out. A call to the bullpen brought Clevenger to the mound, and UMass worked its way out of the inning unharmed with a fielder's choice and a clutch strikeout for Clevenger with runners at second and third.
The Rams brought the tying run to the plate in the last of the ninth but Clevenger shut the door with a grounder to short, allowing Pearsons to flip to Hart at second for the force out to end the ballgame.
LeSiuer (1-0) picked up his first win as a Minuteman. Clevenger's save was the second of his career and first since the 2018 season.
The Minutemen and Rams meet again on Saturday for a seven-inning doubleheader, with game one beginning at noon.
Catcher Dylan Judd was 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI singles and six other Minutemen found their way into the hit column. Judd has reached base in 11 consecutive games, and now owns as many multi-hit performances on the season.
Not to be overlooked was the effort of the Massachusetts pitching staff. Southpaw Kevin Dow received the start and went six shutout innings, recording six strikeouts, walking none and scattering nine hits. Fellow left-hander Scott LeSiuer relieved Dow and worked into the eighth. Then, Zach Clevenger entered with two on and one out, escaping the eighth unharmed and taking the Minutemen home from there for the save.
The game remained scoreless until the fourth inning when Fordham took a 1-0 lead thanks to a solo home run from Zach Selinger.
UMass would equalize in the top of the sixth, with center fielder Kevin Skagerlind coming aboard with an infield single. Skagerlind would steal second base, then come in to score on Judd's single up the middle.
Fordham would pull back ahead, 2-1, on a sacrifice fly in the Rams' half of the seventh.
But a rally in the eighth would swing momentum the way of the Minutemen for the rest of the night. Pinch runner Chris Pearsons moved up to second base on a sac bunt laid down by left fielder Collin Shapiro, then after UMass loaded the bases, Judd and Michael Rounds popped RBI singles to left field with a Mike Gervasi sac fly in between. Pearsons, Skagerlind and Eddy Hart all scored in the sequence.
In the bottom of the frame, Fordham put runners on first and second with one out. A call to the bullpen brought Clevenger to the mound, and UMass worked its way out of the inning unharmed with a fielder's choice and a clutch strikeout for Clevenger with runners at second and third.
The Rams brought the tying run to the plate in the last of the ninth but Clevenger shut the door with a grounder to short, allowing Pearsons to flip to Hart at second for the force out to end the ballgame.
LeSiuer (1-0) picked up his first win as a Minuteman. Clevenger's save was the second of his career and first since the 2018 season.
The Minutemen and Rams meet again on Saturday for a seven-inning doubleheader, with game one beginning at noon.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: LeSieur, Scott (1-0)
L: KNOX, Cameron (1-2)
S: Clevenger, Zach (1)
Batting:
2B: Wilde, Aidan 1
RBI: Judd, Dylan 2 ; Gervasi, Mike 1 ; Rounds, Michael 1
SH: Shapiro, Collin 1 ; Judd, Dylan 1 ; Pearsons, Chris 1
SF: Gervasi, Mike 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Skagerlind, Kevin 2 ; Hart, Eddy 1 ; Pearsons, Chris 1
SB: Skagerlind, Kevin 2
HBP: Skagerlind, Kevin 1
Batting:
2B: VAZQUEZ, C.J. 1 ; COULES, Jason 1
HR: SELINGER, Zach 1
RBI: LABELLA, Nick 1 ; SELINGER, Zach 1
SF: LABELLA, Nick 1
Base Running:
RUNS: COULES, Jason 1 ; SELINGER, Zach 1
SB: VAZQUEZ, C.J. 1 ; COULES, Jason 1 ; GRUND, Richard 1 ; THIESSE, Ryan 1
HBP: SEMO, Andy 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
2
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
2
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
RHP
/ BaseballC
/ BaseballC
/ BaseballLHP
/ BaseballINF
/ BaseballRHP/DH
/ BaseballOF
/ BaseballOF
/ BaseballUMass Base | Highlights vs Siena | 04.30.25
Wednesday, April 30
UMass Baseball vs. George Washington | Broadcast Highlights | 04.27.25
Monday, April 28
UMass Baseball vs. George Mason | Broadcast Highlights | Game 2 04.19.25
Saturday, April 19
UMass Baseball vs. URI | Broadcast Highlights | Doubleheader Game 1 | 3.28.25
Friday, March 28