University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
4-2
Siena
2-7
Baseball Drops Series Finale To Siena, 9-7
March 01, 2026 | Baseball
Gavin O'Brien earned his first home run of the season and second of his career.
UMass moved to 4-2 overall on the season, while Siena improved to 2-7 on the year.
Anthony Tirado went 3-for-4 while adding a career-best and game-high four RBI on the day. Five Minutemen also had one hit each, including a solo home rune for Gavin O'Brien and a double for Will Briggs, marking the first of his career. Reece McCarthy led the team in runs with two, while O'Brien and Marc Willi had one RBI apiece.
With two outs, O'Brien hit a solo homer to deep right field to give UMass an early 1-0 lead.
The Minutemen added two more runs in the top of the second to extend their lead to 3-0. McCarthy led off with a single, before stealing second. A sacrifice bunt by Braden Sullivan moved McCarthy, while Sullivan reached first on an error. Sullivan then stole second base to put runners in scoring position. Tirado singled through the right side, sending McCarthy and Sullivan crossing the dish.
Siena put a run on the board in the bottom half of the second on a sacrifice fly, making it a 3-1 contest.
Willi walked with two outs, before Briggs doubled deep to right field, placing Willi at third. As Tirado reached first on an error, Willi touched home plate to pull Massachusetts ahead, 4-1 in the fourth frame.
The Saints put up eight runs, including a two-run home run in the fifth inning to take a 9-4 lead.
UMass took back three runs in the top of the eighth to make it a 9-7 game. McCarthy walked to start the frame, before Willi drove him home with a single. Gavin Sitarz entered as a pinch runner for Willi and Vance Bonior entered the game as a pinch hitter for Briggs, as Bonior took his place at first after being hit by a pitch. Tirado then stepped up to the plate and hit a single to left center field, scoring Sitarz from second. With the bases loaded, Ty Fox walked while Bonior came across home plate to make room for Fox.
The Minutemen held off the Saints in the bottom half of the eighth but were unable to get the bats going in the ninth, as Siena came out on top, 9-7.
Jack Levine (1-1) had the loss for UMass, giving up seven runs, three hits, two walks and having no strikeouts in 0.2 innings.
George Handal (1-0) threw 3.1 innings and allowed one run on two hits, walked four and had no strikeouts to receive the win for Siena. Richie Paltrdige earned the save, going 1.1 innings with one hit, one walk and strikeout.
Massachusetts begins play in the Mid-American Conference with a three-game series on the road against Toledo in Toledo, Ohio, on Friday, March 6 through Sunday, March 8. First pitch on Friday is slated for 3 p.m., before a 1 p.m. start on Saturday. Sunday's finale will begin at 1 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Handal, George (1-0)
L: Levine, Jack (1-1)
S: Paltridge, Richie (1)
Batting:
2B: Briggs, Will 1
HR: O'Brien, Gavin 1
RBI: O'Brien, Gavin 1 ; Tirado, Anthony 4 ; Willi, Marc 1 ; Fox, Ty 1
SH: Sullivan, Braden 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Sullivan, Braden 1 ; Bonior, Vance 1 ; McCarthy, Reece 2 ; O'Brien, Gavin 1 ; Willi, Marc 1 ; Sitarz, Gavin 1
SB: Sullivan, Braden 1 ; McCarthy, Reece 1 ; Tirado, Anthony 1 ; Fox, Ty 2
CS: Tirado, Anthony 1
HBP: Bonior, Vance 1
Batting:
HR: Bergamotto, Nick 1
RBI: Bergamotto, Nick 2 ; Paradine, Aidan 1 ; D'Elia, Joe 1 ; Camacho, Sean 3 ; Brooks, Noah 2
SH: D'Elia, Joe 1
SF: Brooks, Noah 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Bergamotto, Nick 1 ; Paradine, Aidan 1 ; Thorsen, Matt 1 ; Camacho, Sean 1 ; Lynch, Scott 1 ; Sparks, Jake 1 ; Thorburn, Gavin 1 ; Brooks, Noah 2
SB: Thorsen, Matt 1
HBP: Paradine, Aidan 1 ; Sparks, Jake 1 ; Thorburn, Gavin 1 ; Brooks, Noah 1
