And then there was sunshine.

Having seen numerous attempts to play its 2004 home opener post-poned due to rain and soggy field conditions, the Massachusetts baseball team finally stepped onto Earl Lorden Field yesterday afternoon and opened it’s home slate on a positive note, downing in-state rival Holy Cross 8-5.

With his squad seeing its first action in a week, coach Mike Stone utilized nine pitchers in all and received a game-winning three-run homerun from junior left fielder Curt Szado as the Minutemen overcame an eight-inning deficit to climb back above .500 at 8-7.

Hitting out of the leadoff spot, junior rightfielder Jason Twomley homered and drove in two runs, while sophomore centerfielder Derrick Durepo also had a pair of hits and scored a run.

Senior ace Eric Chown was the only Minuteman hurler to work multiple innings, as the Atlanta Braves draft pick started and worked a pair of scoreless innings, surrendering three hits and striking out two.

Sophomore righthander Matt Torra was roughed up in an inning of work, coughing up two hits and three runs – two of which were earned – while classmate David Sullivan earned his first victory of the season and of his career with a scoreless eighth inning of relief.

“We had to get our guys ready for the weekend,” Stone said. “We haven’t played in a week and we had the opportunity to get a lot of guys some work, and it came out how we wanted it to.”

Starter Scott Hampe took the loss for Holy Cross (3-14-1) after giving up seven hits and five earned runs while striking out six in seven innings of work.

Trailing 5-3 entering the bottom of the eighth, Twomley led off the inning with a tremendous homerun off the fa