The Massachusetts baseball team took one of three games from VCU in Richmond over the weekend.
Game two was the big one for the Minutemen (8-14, 1-2 Atlantic 10). A combination of a career day from starter Renn Lints and consistent, timely hits led the charge. Lints, a graduate student, had a career high of six strikeouts and allowed just three runs in eight innings en route to his first win of the season. Freshman Callen Powers relieved him and embraced a save opportunity, tacking on his first of his collegiate career.
“[Lints] was outstanding. He’s been very good this year in general but that was a lifetime performance. Really impressive for him. Having only just taken over the starting role, you know, very recently, for him to go out there and throw the number of pitches that he did and be as dominant as he was, that was exactly what we needed,” head coach Matt Reynolds said.
Carter Hanson got the scoring going in the fourth inning with a single that scored Matt Travisano. Nolan Tichy also scored on a balk in the inning, giving the Minutemen an early 2-0 lead. In the fifth, Jack Beverly hit a line drive single through the right side to score Kevin Skagerlind and increase the lead to three. After tacking on one more in the eighth via a Tichy RBI single, UMass took a 4-1 lead into the ninth. VCU (18-10, 2-1 Atlantic 10) retaliated with a home run and an RBI single to go down just one. Powers shut them down and secured the win.
“[Powers] really earned our confidence. we’re bringing him in, in that spot over, as a true freshman, over guys that are juniors and seniors and grad students in some cases, that’s because, you know he’s proven to be a competitive kid,” Reynolds said. “He’s got three pitches he can throw for strikes. That was just another big step forward for him and his evolution … That’s [going to] not only help us right now, but that’s [going to] pay dividends in the future.”
Game one was an 11 inning slugfest with UMass opening the scoring early in the first with a Travisano RBI single and a Hanson fielder’s choice for a 2-0 lead. VCU threw a punch with a 3-run home run in the second inning to take the lead. Mike Toth and Austin Burgess each hit RBI doubles to retake the lead 5-3 in the fourth. Hanson added to the lead on a solo shot to right field to command a 6-3 lead in the fifth. VCU started its comeback in the sixth with a solo home run then continued their run in the ninth tying the game up and sending the game to extra innings. An RBI single in the 11th sent the Rams home happy.
Game three was forgettable for UMass as the Rams put up seven runs on nine hits in a 7-1 victory.
The Minutemen now turn their attention to the annual Baseball Beanpot classic with a first-round matchup against Northeastern slated for Tuesday in Boston. First pitch is set for 2:30 p.m.
Owen Shelffo can be reached at [email protected] and followed on Twitter @owen_shelffo
