Eastern Connecticut Sweeps Baseball In Conference Twinbill

MANSFIELD, Conn. – Despite combing for 18 hits baseball was only able to muster up six runs on the day as they were swept by Eastern Connecticut State University by the finals of 3-2 and 7-3 Sunday afternoon at ECSU Baseball Stadium.

THE BASICS
GM1 – UMass Boston 2, Eastern Connecticut State University 3
GM2 – UMass Boston 3, Eastern Connecticut State University 7
UMass Boston (10-11, 1-3 Little East Conference)
Eastern Connecticut State University (13-5, 4-0 Little East Conference)

HOW IT HAPPENED
GAME 1
The Beacons grabbed an early lead in the top half of the first, but the Warriors responded with three straight runs over the next four innings to make it 3-1.  UMass Boston cut the deficit to one in the top half of the sixth, but Nick Rascati would hold the Beacons to just one hit over the final 3.1 innings to preserve the win for ECSU.

Dan Mantoni (Northbridge, Mass.) drove in the first run of the day for UMB, as he crushed an RBI
double which scored Lionel Danielson (St. Croix, Virgin Islands).  Danielson would then be responsible for the Beacons second run of the opener as he plated Kyle Boudrias (Medford, Mass.) on an RBI fielder's choice in the sixth inning.

On the hill Fernando Burgos (Hyde Park, Mass.) fell to 2-1 on the year, after going 6.2 innings.  During his first collegiate start, Burgos surrendered three runs, all earned, on six hits, but did manage four K's.  Bobby Tramondozzi (Peabody, Mass.), picked-up three strikeouts over the final 1.1 innings.
Rascati collected his second save, while the win went to Ron Buchetto, who improved to 2-0 after going 5.1.  He combined for five strikeouts and allowed the two Beacons runs on nine hits.

GAME 2
Hoping to prevent the sweep, the Beacons turned to Bryan Kaufman (Farmingdale, N.Y.) to neutralize the undefeated Warriors.  The Beacons would once again strike early, as they tacked on their first run of the day in the top of the second.

However, the Warriors responded with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the same inning to take their first lead of the day.  UMass then tied it at 2-2 in the top of the fourth on an RBI single by Boudrias.

However just like the second inning, ECSU would respond with one run in the bottom half of the inning to take a 3-2 lead.  The Warriors then made it a two-run game after driving home a run in the bottom of the fifth.  After a scoreless inning and a half, the Warriors widen their lead over the Beacons even more as they scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh.

With only six outs remaining and now trailing by five, the Beacons needed to get something going.  They would manage a run in the eighth, but that would be the only offense they could produce over the final two frames.

Boudrias continued to swing a strong bat as he drove in the Beacons final run of the doubleheader on an RBI double right field, which scored Frank Johnson (West Haven, Conn.).

Kaufman lasted five complete inning as he dropped to 1-3 on the year.  He allowed four runs, three earned, on four hits, and had two strikeouts.  Sal Frosceno (Derby, Conn.) went the final three innings, and surrendered three runs, one earned, on two hits.

John Parker collected the win for the Warriors, after allowing two runs on six hits over five complete innings. He also had five strikeouts in the conference victory.

BY THE NUMBERS

• Sunday's doubleheader marked the first sweep for the Warriors over UMB since the 2013 season
• All-time the Warriors lead the series 42-6
• On the day Boudrias finished the day 4-for-6 with two RBI and two run scored

WHO'S NEXT
The Beacons will host Salem State University on Tuesday at 6 p.m.