The Massachusetts baseball team is on a roll.
After the Minutemen lost five of its first six games, it looked as if UMass coach Mike Stone would be sitting through a long season. But since their March 27 home opener, the Minutemen have won eight of nine. After a three-game sweep of Fordham in which they defeated the Rams, 10-8, on Monday and swept a doubleheader, 4-3 and 2-1, on Sunday, they find themselves tied with Rhode Island for first place in the Atlantic 10’s East Division.
“We’re playing good baseball,” Stone said. “Our guys are getting on base and we’re hitting the ball well and knocking them in. We have a ways to go, but we’re starting to do the things it takes to win ballgames.”
The Maroon and White (11-9 6-3 A-10) sent freshman Matt Torra to the hill for the finale of a delayed weekend series with the Rams. However, the righthander lasted only five innings after surrendering four earned runs on four hits.
On the short end of a 5-3 score after Torra’s departure, the UMass offense came to life in the top of the seventh, rallying for four runs off of the Fordham duo of Bryan Kelley and Dave Rodriguez. The runs came via RBI singles from senior designated hitter Chris Morgan and junior second baseman Cullan Maumus, an RBI double from sophomore centerfielder Jason Twomley, and a sacrifice fly by senior first basemen Jeff Altieri.
With sophomore righthander Anthony Gallo taking over on the mound, the Rams cut into the newfound Minuteman lead with a single run in the seventh, but freshman catcher Frank Curreri made up the difference with a solo homerun in the top of the eighth.
The Rams again cut the Minuteman lead to one run in the bottom of the eighth on a solo homer by Jeremy Bourgeois. But UMass came back with two runs in the top of the ninth on a solo homer from Morgan leading off the inning and an RBI single from senior Matt Boulanger.
Sophomore closer Scott Ratliff recorded his fifth save of the season despite allowing a run in the ninth as the Minutemen held on for the 10-8 victory.
“We’re still looking at our pitching staff trying to see exactly what we have,” Stone said. “We have some guys who are pitching well for us, and we just need to find the right situations to use what we have.”
In Sunday’s second contest, sophomore Keith Doherty earned his second win of the season to improve to 2-2. The southpaw hurled 5-1/3 innings, scattering seven hits and giving up three runs while striking out two. Ratliff notched the save with an inning and a third of scoreless relief.
Morgan and Curreri paced the offense with RBI doubles, while the latter added an RBI single in the 4-3 win.
“Again, we’re swinging the bats well and getting guys on, which leads to runs,” Stone said. “That’s what we’ve been trying to emphasize, getting guys on the bases to make things happen.”
In the first game, junior Eric Chown tossed a complete game five hitter, surrendering just a single run while striking out four to improve to 3-2 on the season.
Maine transfer Matt Reynolds continued to swing a hot bat, knocking in the first UMass run in the fourth with an RBI single. After Fordham tied the score in the botton of the sixth on an RBI groundout by Kurt Thomas, the Minutemen pushed across the winning tally in the top of the seventh, as Boulanger doubled off of the Rams’ John Baco and later scored on an error.
The Minutemen return to action today, as they will host the Connecticut Huskies at Lorden Field. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.
