Right now, the Massachusetts baseball team is clicking on all cylinders.
UMass (15-14, 8-4 Atlantic 10) is hitting for power all over the lineup, playing solid defense around the diamond and, more importantly, pitching like an A-10 elite team.
The Minutemen look to continue their hot play tomorrow when they open a three-game home stand against A-10 rival Temple.
“We’re pitching really well right now, and that’s what it’s going to come down to,” said senior Tom Conley following Wednesday’s 11-5 victory over Maine at Earl Lorden Field. Conley went 2-for-5 at the plate with three RBIs, getting things going in the box as the rest of lineup is starting to get hot.
“The hard work is paying off definitely,” said Conley. “We’re getting some good pitching right now.”
This year’s squad is without last spring’s slate of seniors in the lineup, a substantial factor to account for when considering the number of runs that UMass has scored recently.
Last Sunday against Saint Louis, the Minutemen scored 12 runs – the most all season – and followed up with 11 more against the Black Bears. The recent offensive onslaught is starting to create a balanced attack for UMass coach Mike Stone.
“When you get double-digit hits, it’s just great,” said Stone of the 14-hit performance for his team on Wednesday. “Guys are starting to settle in. There’s a lot of ways to score runs and we’re doing a pretty good job of that. We’re making things happen and our hitters are getting good pitches to hit.”
UMass is geared up to face the Owls (14-26, 2-10 A-10), who are in a rebuilding season after losing several seniors, who led one of best lineups in the country last spring.
Temple has lost 11 of the its last 13 contests, dropping four of five contests during that span that were decided by one run. The Owls’ lone conference victories came against Charlotte (April 14, 6-4) and Richmond (April 21, 7-6).
Steve Nikorak leads Temple on the offensive end and leads the team in home runs (three), RBIs (32), walks (25) on-base percentage (.423) and slugging percentage (.490). He’s also second on the team in batting average (.315), slightly behind Nick Lustrino (.318).
The Owls’ pitching staff has shown signs of improvement in recent weeks, but a 5.38 team earned run average doesn’t fair well for them going forward. The leader on the mound is Patrick Peterson, who holds a respectable 3.22 ERA over nine starts (2-3). He’s punched out 51 batters over 58.2 innings of work, holding opponents to hitting .218 against him.
On the mound
The rotation will be just as usual for the Minutemen when Temple rolls into town.
Junior right-hander Dennis Torres will open the series. He’s coming off one of his toughest outings of the spring, tossing seven innings and allowing four earned runs in a 6-5 victory against Saint Louis last Friday. Torres is still having a very impressive spring as the ace on the staff. He’s got a 2-3 record and holds a 3.16 ERA while fanning 32 batters over 51.1 innings.
Torres will be followed up by senior Glen Misho, who is coming off one of his best outings all season. Misho allowed three earned runs off seven hits over eight innings against the Billikens last Saturday in a hard-fought 3-2 loss.
Fellow senior Joe Popielarczyk will round out the starting pitching for the Minutemen on Sunday.
Popielarczyk is having his best season in a UMass uniform this spring. He won his most recent outing last Sunday against Saint Louis, striking out eight and allowing one walk over 6.2 shutout innings to propel his team to a 12-0 victory. The senior was named Tuesday as one of the 51 finalists on the watch list for this year’s national Pitcher of the Year.
Scott Cournoyer can be reached at [email protected] or followed on Twitter @MDC_Cournoyer.
