University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
3-7
Elon
7-8
Baseball Drops Heartbreaker At Elon In Ninth Inning, 10-9
March 10, 2024 | Baseball
Gervasi led the Minutemen with a season-high three hits.
The Minutemen move to 3-7 on the year, while the Phoenix improve to 7-8 overall.
Four Minutemen had multi-hit efforts on the day, including Mike Gervasi with a team-leading three hits. Justin Blumenthal, Matt Travisano, Carter Hanson and Nolan Tichy followed behind with two hits each, as Travisano and Tichy led the team in runs with two apiece. Jack Beverly and Gervasi both tallied two RBI on the afternoon. Beverly hit his first career home run, while Blumenthal recorded his first homer of the season, and Tichy contributed a double, marking his second of the year.
With two outs in the opening frame, Travisano singled to center field, before Beverly crushed the ball over the left field fence for a two-run long ball to put Massachusetts ahead 2-0 early. The Minutemen made it a 3-0 lead in the top of the third on Blumenthal's solo home run to left field. In the bottom of the third, a homer, a RBI double and a RBI single helped Elon tie the game up at three apiece.
UMass reclaimed its lead in the fourth to pull ahead 5-3. Gervasi started off the inning with a single through the left side, before Tichy was walked. Michael Toth reached first after being hit by a pitch, and with the bases loaded, Braden Sullivan saw four balls to take his place on first, sending Gervasi 90 feet to home. Kevin Skagerlind, then, hit the ball into a double play, but Tichy crossed the plate to add to Massachusetts lead.
The Minutemen put another run on the board in the top of the sixth, as Tichy took his base after being walked. Tichy advanced to second on a wild pitch, before stealing third. With two outs, Skagerlind saw four balls to earn his spot on base. A balk by Elon's pitcher advanced the runners, allowing Tichy to score. The Phoenix came back within on in the bottom half of the inning, as UMass led 6-5.
Elon notched one run in the seventh and two more in the eighth to take an 8-6 lead heading into the final frame. Three straight singles from Skagerlind, Blumenthal and Travisano helped UMass load up the bases in the top of the ninth. Hanson registered a single of his own to aid Skagerlind to touch home plate, before Gervasi had a two-run single, pushing Austin Burgess and Travisano across the dish to take back the lead at 9-8. In the bottom of the inning, a home run and a RBI single aided Elon to a walk off 10-9 win.
Leif Bigelow (0-1) had the loss for Massachusetts, giving up two runs on three hits and one walk in 0.1 innings. Robbie O'Connor started on the hill for the Minutemen, tossing six complete innings, and allowing five runs on six hits, one walk and a career-best four strikeouts. Kolby Pascarelli (1-0) earned the win for Elon, striking out one in 0.2 innings.
Massachusetts will host Holy Cross on Tuesday, March 12, for a 2:30 p.m. contest for its home opener.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Pascarelli, Kolby (1-0)
L: Bigelow, Leif (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Tichy, Nolan 1
HR: Blumenthal, Justin 1 ; Beverly, Jack 1
RBI: Skagerlind, Kevin 1 ; Blumenthal, Justin 1 ; Beverly, Jack 2 ; Hanson, Carter 1 ; Gervasi, Mike 2 ; Sullivan, Braden 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Skagerlind, Kevin 1 ; Blumenthal, Justin 1 ; Burgess, Austin 1 ; Travisano, Matt 2 ; Beverly, Jack 1 ; Gervasi, Mike 1 ; Tichy, Nolan 2
SB: Tichy, Nolan 2
HBP: Beverly, Jack 1 ; Toth, Michael 1
Batting:
2B: Mallory Jr., Kenny 1 ; Sprock, Ryan 1 ; Offshack, Connor 1
HR: Granatell, Charlie 1 ; Duffey, Alex 1
RBI: Mallory Jr., Kenny 1 ; Granatell, Charlie 1 ; Sprock, Ryan 1 ; Offshack, Connor 1 ; Paradine, Shane 2 ; Vergantino, Will 1 ; Duffey, Alex 1 ; Fattore, Vince 1
SH: Broderick, James 1
SF: Paradine, Shane 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Mallory Jr., Kenny 1 ; Granatell, Charlie 2 ; Sprock, Ryan 3 ; Holliman, Tanner 1 ; Duffey, Alex 1 ; Fattore, Vince 2
CS: Granatell, Charlie 1
HBP: Holliman, Tanner 1 ; Duffey, Alex 1 ; Broderick, James 1
