The Massachusetts baseball team lost all three games to George Washington in its second-to-last series of the season. A close contest in game two was overshadowed by large deficits in games one and three of the weekend.
In game two, the Minutemen (22-26, 11-10 Atlantic 10) got out to an early lead when Matt Travisano doubled down the right field line to score Austin Burgess in the third inning. Burgess plated a run of his own in the sixth inning, hitting a homer over the left-field wall.
The main thing that kept the middle contest close was the success on the mound from UMass, especially from starter Robbie O’Connor. The redshirt freshman threw seven innings, allowing two earned runs on seven hits with five strikeouts and one walk. Zack Given came in for an inning of relief, allowing one earned on two hits and exiting the game with the loss.
Compared to the first and last games of the series, the Revolutionaries (29-22, 12-9 A-10) struggled to get things going offensively in game two, but made the most of their few extra-base hits and utilized some small-ball to plate three runs and take the win, 3-2.
Kevin Skagerlind broke an all-time record for UMass in game two, when he was hit by a pitch to lead off the top of the eighth inning. This was the 34th time being plunked by a pitch for Skagerlind, which passes the former record holder Peter Copa who was hit by 33 pitches in his time at UMass.
Game one of the weekend was close throughout seven innings of play, with the Minutemen holding the lead in the first inning and keeping the George Washington lead within striking distance. The teams headed into the bottom of the seventh inning with the score 10-8 in favor of the Revolutionaries.
Carter Hanson played a big role in the offensive output for UMass, driving in three runs with a home run and a double. Matt Travisano and Burgess both also hit multi-hit games, with Travisano adding two RBI and Burgess tallying two doubles.
George Washington had a hit frenzy with 22 base knocks in the series opener, having Robbie Lavey lead the way with six hits in six at bats. Multiple others for the Revolutionaries had three hits, proving that the Minutemen could not keep them off base.
Four different arms saw the mound for UMass in the game, with Renn Lints getting the start and throwing five innings. Mikey Jensen, Leif Bigelow and Jacob Terwilliger each got some action in relief, with none finding a way to truly calm things down.
The final game of the weekend started with more offensive explosiveness from George Washington, scoring eight runs in the third inning to get out to a big lead. UMass plated five of its own in retaliation to kick off the fourth inning, but it was to no avail.
Skagerlind headlined the offense for the Minutemen in game three, knocking in four RBIs, with most coming from a bases clearing double down the left field line in the top of the fourth inning. Michael Toth plated two runs of his own with a single in the fourth inning up the middle.
The Revolutionaries continued their consistent scoring output, with two runs in both the fourth and sixth innings and three more tacked on in the seventh. With 17 hits in the last game of the series, again it was the arms for UMass that struggled to get things going.
Andrew Middleton got the start in game three, going two and a third and earning the loss. Five more arms came in, with Bigelow, Given, Dylan Terwilliger, Jensen and Jacob Terwilliger all getting some time on the bump.
Heading into their final series of the regular season, the Minutemen sit in seventh place in the A-10 standings. With the top seven teams making the A-10 tournament, it will be crucial for UMass to end its season hot to have a chance at playing some extra baseball.
The Minutemen have yet to make the tournament in the Matt Reynolds era, and this could be the year after eight seasons with the team for him to get his team there.
UMass wraps up the regular season with another A-10 series, this time at home against Saint Louis. The first game of the weekend is set for Thursday, May 16 at Earl Lorden Field in Amherst, MA at 3 p.m.
Mike Maynard can be reached at [email protected] and followed on Twitter/X @mikecmaynard.
