The Massachusetts baseball team lost its final series of the 2022 season over the weekend against George Washington on the road. UMass (22-26-1, 8-16, Atlantic 10) gave up 30 runs on 43 hits, losing two out of three games.
Game one of the series started off well for the visiting team. UMass scored a run in the opening frame, on a Drew DeMartino double to center field, scoring Kevin Skagerlind to take a 1-0 lead. George Washington (22-30, 10-14 A-10) answered with a run in the bottom of the first inning on an Anthony Frechette single up the middle, scoring Cade Fergus.
The Minutemen took their second lead of the afternoon in the top of the second, scoring three runs on four hits, and two walks. The inning was capped off by a Will MacLean RBI single. Maclean was on fire at the plate the entire game. UMass’ lead didn’t stay comfortable for long, as the Colonials responded in the bottom of the inning.
George Washington went on to score two runs on just one hit, and situational hitting helped cut the lead back within a run at 4-3.
The Minutemen increased their lead in the top of the fourth, with two runs on a hit and more situational hitting. UMass looked to take control of the afternoon, up 6-4.
In the top of the fifth, UMass dropped four runs on the Colonials on four hits, going up 10-4.
In the top of the sixth, the Minutemen added to their lead with an additional five runs on four hits, including two home runs. One of those home runs came off the bat of red-hot Will MacLean. The scoreboard read 15-4 after six.
The following inning, George Washington went on an absolute tear, scoring 10 runs on seven hits, including two runs. The Colonials successfully batted around, putting pressure back on the visiting team.
In the bottom of the eighth, the Colonials scored a run to tie the game on a Mike Ludowig RBI single to right field. The game was tied 15-15 heading into the ninth. Baseball drama at its finest.
To start the ninth, UMass went ahead two runs on a clutch two-run home run by Dylan Judd. The lead stood at two runs, and the Minutemen bullpen had three outs to close the game and start the weekend series at 1-0. Tyler Dalton came in to close the game and allowed one run in the bottom of the ninth, solidifying the win and the save. The final score read 17-15.
Game two of the series didn’t go as well for UMass. Offense was less of a factor in the early part of the game. George Washington took a 2-1 lead into the sixth inning. Over the first five innings, the Minutemen recorded two hits, which reflected a lethargic offense coming off a high-intensity win the day before.
In the top of the sixth, UMass tied the game 2-2 on a Drew DeMartino single to left field, scoring Colin Shapiro. The bottom of the inning saw the largest scoring frame of the afternoon, with the Colonials tallying six runs on four hits. From this point on, neither team scored. For the full nine innings, UMass mustered just six hits. George Washington took game two 8-2.
Game three marked the last game of the Minutemen’s 2022 regular season. UMass hitters managed five total hits and were held scoreless by Colonials pitchers Logan Koester and Trevor Kuncl.
George Washington had a productive bottom of the second, scoring two runs on a two-RBI single up the middle from Mike Ludowig. The Colonials extended their lead to three runs after five innings, and never relinquished control. They would go on to score three more runs in the bottom of the eighth, with three hits and two walks. At the end of game three, the scoreboard read 6-0.
Judah Katz can be reached at [email protected] and followed on Twitter @judah_katz.
