University of Massachusets Athletics
Friday, March 8
Elon, N.C.
3 P.M.
University of Massachusetts
at
Elon
Photo by: THOM KENDALL FOR UMASS ATHLETICS
Massachusetts Baseball Heads To Elon For Three Games
March 07, 2024 | Baseball
Minutemen and Phoenix face off for a weekend series, starting on Friday, March 8 at 4 p.m.
| University of Massachusetts Baseball Game Notes | |
| Game 8-10 | Massachusetts (2-5) at Elon (5-7) |
| Date // Time | Friday, March 8 // 4 p.m. Saturday, March 9 // 4 p.m. Sunday, March 10 // 12 p.m. |
| Location | Elon, N.C. // Latham Park |
| Series History | Elon, 3-0 Last Meeting: Elon, 5 (vs) Massachusetts, 1 | March 5, 2017 |
| Live Stats | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
| Stream | FloBaseball |
| @UMassBaseball | @UMassAthletics | @CoachReynolds25 | |
| UMass Baseball | UMass Athletics | |
Follow UMass Baseball
Follow UMass baseball on Twitter (@UMassBaseball), Instagram (UMassBaseball) and Facebook (UMass Baseball) all season long for the latest news and updates around the team. Fans can also follow head coach Matt Reynolds on Twitter @CoachReynolds25.
Setting the Scene
University of Massachusetts baseball heads to Elon, North Carolina, to take on Elon University on Friday, March 8 through Sunday, March 10, for a three-game series at Latham Park. The weekend matchup will be streamed on FloBaseball, beginning on Friday at 4 p.m. The first pitch on Saturday is set for 4 p.m., with the series finale start at 12 p.m. on Sunday.
UMass holds a 2-5 overall record on the season, while Elon is 5-7 on the year, including a 4-5 mark at home.
Recap in a Minute
Massachusetts matched up with No. 13 Virginia for three games, keeping the series close and handing the Cavaliers their first loss of the season, as UVA lead the series 2-1. UMass upset No. 13 Virginia in game two of the series, 10-5, to pick up its first win over UVA and first win over a ranked opponent since at least 2003.
During game one, Virginia took an early 2-0 lead in the fourth, before Kevin Skagerlind scored a run to cut the deficit in half in the sixth. Mike Gervasi stepped up and hit a two-run home run in the inning to give the Minutemen the 3-2 lead that they held until the bottom of the ninth. The Cavaliers tied it up in the ninth to force extra innings and walked it off to win 4-3.
The second game of the series saw Massachusetts upset the No. 13 team in the country, as the Minutemen started with a 2-0 lead after Carter Hanson crushed the ball for a two-run homer in the opening frame. UMass went on to score two more runs in the second and two more in the third to take a 6-0 lead over Virginia. UVA scored three runs across the fifth and sixth innings, before UMass extended its lead in the top of the eighth. Virginia grabbed another run in the bottom of the eighth, but with UMass' 7-4 lead, the team put up three more runs in the final inning to push ahead, 10-4. The Cavaliers added one more run, but Massachusetts secured the 10-5 victory.
In game three, Virginia held a 10-2 lead heading into the ninth inning. The Minutemen began to rally in the ninth, as Justin Blumenthal got the bats going with a single, followed by a single by Jake Swerdloff. Jack Peters loaded up the bases after being walked, before Austin Burgess had a three RBI double to make it a 10-5 contest. Burgess came across the plate to add to UMass' total, but the rally was stopped short as the Cavaliers won 10-6.
All-Time vs. Elon
The Minutemen and Phoenix will meet for the fourth time in program history, as Elon holds the 3-0 advantage. Massachusetts and Elon met for a three-game series in 2017 on the road, with the first meeting taking place on March 3, as the Phoenix went on to win a close 4-3 contest. Elon won the next two games, 3-0 and 5-1, on March 4 and March 5, respectively.
It's Going, Going, And It's Gone
Massachusetts has tallied six home runs in seven games played from three Minutemen. Gervasi leads the team with three, while Hanson follows with two on the year. Nolan Tichy recorded one homer on the season.
Gervasi registered his first long ball of the year in the first game of the season against Bucknell, before hitting his second and third in back-to-back games. He had his second homer in game three of the Bucknell series, before hitting his third in game one at No. 13 Virginia. Hanson had a home run as well in game one of the Bucknell series and tallied his second in the game two 10-5 win at No. 13 Virginia. Tichy recorded his lone homer in the final game against Bucknell.
On A Roll…
Nine Minutemen are riding a current hitting streak, so far this season. Matt Travisano sits on top of the leaderboard with six games, followed by Jack Beverly with four. Skagerlind, Braden Sullivan and Blumenthal are all on a two-game streak, while Marc Willi, Swerdloff, Sam Hill and Burgess are at one game apiece.
Hanson and Skagerlind are both on a current seven-game reached base streak, the longest for the team, as Michael Toth and Travisano follow behind with six each. Beverly and Blumenthal currently hold a four-game streak, as Sullivan and Hill have two games. Willi, Swerdloff, Peters and Burgess are all on a one game streak.
[Multi]ple Games
In seven games, UMass has a strong showing with multi-hit games, as the Minutemen have run their total of multi-hit performances to 16. Travisano leads the production with three, which included one four-hit game. Five players have had two multi-hit contests, including Hanson and Skagerlind, who both record three hits in one game. Toth, Blumenthal and Willi totaled one multi-hit game, as Toth put together a four-hit performance in one contest.
Massachusetts also contributed a total of nine multi-RBI games, led by Hanson with three, including a three RBI contest. Gervasi follows with two, which includes one four RBI game, while Toth, Skagerlind, Burgess and Tichy have one multi-RBI contest. Skagerlind and Burgess both have one three RBI game, so far, this season.
Meet the Minutemen
A solid mix of returners and newcomers compose the 2024 edition of the Minutemen as the squad begins its 141st season. Nineteen members of the team are back from the 2023 campaign, while 16 players join for their first season in Amherst, including eight freshman and eight transfers.
Keeping it in the Family
The 2024 season marks the 58th straight campaign that Massachusetts baseball will have an alumnus of the Flagship campus as head coach. Seventh-year skipper Matt Reynolds is a double graduate (2005, '10G), and was preceded by fellow alumni Mike Stone '82 (1988-2017) and Dick Bergquist '57 (1967-87).
This is the second longest active streak across Division I baseball. Only BYU (62 consecutive seasons) has been led by an alum of its campus for a longer period.
On Deck
Massachusetts will host Holy Cross on Tuesday, March 12, for a 2:30 p.m. contest for its home opener.
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