It’s safe to say the Massachusetts baseball team is playing their best baseball of the season.
The Minutemen (12-22, 9-9 Atlantic 10) won yesterday’s 14-13 rubber match against George Washington at Earl Lorden Field in Amherst. The upset moved the Colonials (23-21, 11-7 A 10) into a three-way tie for second place in the conference with Rhode Island and Saint Joseph’s. With the win, the Minutemen have won four straight conference series and are 6-3 in their last nine games.
“It’s great because we’re playing our best baseball and we’re doing it at the end of the season which is always what you want,” UMass coach Mike Stone said. “We’re really impressed with our starting pitching throughout the weekend and we had good relief all three games and we hit the ball so it was very impressive.”
The series began on Friday, when the Minutemen dropped a 6-5 decision at the hands of the Colonials. UMass starter Nick Serino received the loss in the game, giving up five earned runs over six and two-thirds innings pitched while walking five and striking out a career-high 13 batters.
“[Serino] has good stuff and he’s working through some mechanical things,” Stone said. “Usually, when your pitcher strikes out 13 players, you should win the ballgame. But we feel comfortable with him out there because he gives us a chance to win every ballgame.”
The Minutemen couldn’t muster much against George Washington’s Ryan LaPointe, who threw a complete game and allowed three earned runs. UMass senior Mike Donato’s lone hit, a double, drove in two runs in the second inning. Senior Mike Gedman and junior Kyle Multner both went 2-for-3 and combined for four runs.
UMass avenged the loss on Saturday, defeating its rival, 4-1 on a brilliant pitching performance from senior Jared Freni, who delivered eight innings, allowing one unearned run on two hits and five strikeouts. Freni’s performance was backed by junior Peter Copa’s big day at the plate, who drove in three runs on two hits. The relatively easy win set the stage for a memorable rubber match on Sunday.
Senior Brian Baudinet went 5-for-5 in the series finale and set a school record with four home runs and seven runs batted in. His effort led his team to a 14-13 victory and the series win.
“He was dominant at the plate,” Stone said. “You could tell he was feeling very comfortable within the zone and he was seeing the ball very well. I can’t remember a performance like that from any one of my players since I’ve been here.”
Adding to the win was sophomore Tom Conley, who added two home runs of his own. However, after getting two quick outs in the ninth, the Minutemen faltered and gave up three runs to make it a nail biter.
“You get a guy who hits four home runs and another who hits two and for it to come down to that it’s unfortunate,” Stone said. “It was a fun game up and down, though. Fortunately, we came out on top and had a heck of a day at the plate.”
Steve Levine can be reached at [email protected].
