The Massachusetts baseball team won just one of its three games over the weekend against a strong Richmond team. The Minutemen (10-19-1, 4-11 Atlantic 10) had 12 runs in their lone win but combined for just four runs in the other two matchups, continuing a trend of inconsistent offense.
Game two was the win, where UMass exploded for 12 runs. The Spiders (24-10, 7-8 A-10) took an early 2-0 lead after the first frame. The Minutemen responded when Matt Travisano and Marc Willi each had an RBI single in the third and Jack Beverly crushed a bases clearing double later in the inning. The five straight runs awarded UMass a 5-2 lead early in the contest.
Richmond never took a lead over the Minutemen though. After one run in the fifth and sixth, including a Beverly’s seventh home run of the year, UMass exploded in the eighth with contributions from across the lineup. A bunt single by Ryan Kolben plated a run, Beverly walked in another and Carter Hanson delivered an RBI single. Hanson later scored on a wild pitch, capping the big inning and putting the Minutemen ahead 12–5. The Spiders managed one more run in the ninth on an RBI double, but the comeback effort fell short.
Beverly had five RBIs, and Hanson drove in two and scored twice. Six total UMass hitters tallied multi-hit performances en route to 15 total hits, showcasing one of the team’s most complete offensive efforts of the season.
On the mound to start for the Minutemen was Callen Powers, who allowed three earned runs on five hits with three strikeouts through 100 pitches in six innings of work. Mikey Jensen relieved him and picked up the win. He allowed just one run on three hits in three innings of work, locking down the Richmond bats late.
In game three, UMass’ bats went silent with just four hits. Its lone run came in the first inning via a Willi bases loaded walk. The Spiders buried the Minutemen 4-1 on the back of D.J. Pacheco, who had an RBI single in the second inning and a towering solo shot to left field in the fifth. Jack Arcamone added an RBI single in the eighth. Richmond toed seven players on the rubber, who combined for eight strikeouts and kept the UMass hitters off balance throughout.
Game one started off promising for the Minutemen as Hanson smacked a two-RBI double to the right-center field gap and later scored on an error for a quick 3-0 lead. But those three runs would be all UMass would get. The Spiders starter, Esteban Rodriguez, settled down and allowed just one more hit in the ensuing five innings of work. He tallied three strikeouts and was credited with the win. Ryan Bilka, who’s second in the A-10 with a 2.08 ERA, threw three no-hit innings of relief with four strikeouts, burying the Minutemen.
Looking forward, UMass has a mid-week game against out-of-conference Sacred Heart before a weekend conference series against George Mason. George Mason is in a four-way tie for first place in the A-10. Sacred Heart’s first pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. on Tuesday, April 15, in Connecticut.
Owen Shelffo can be reached at [email protected] and followed on Twitter/X @owen_shelffo
