UMass Boston baseball went 2-2 for the week ending April 11, including a statement win against Little East opponent UMass Dartmouth and a concrete win against Suffolk University. However, they suffered a heartbreaking doubleheader sweep at the hands of the Keene State Owls, dropping them to third in the LEC standings, and lost grip on the top seed.
April 9, the Beacons delivered an extra-innings victory over UMass Dartmouth. UMass Boston took the lead 4-1 in the third and did not let up, securing the 6-5 victory. The last time these two faced off was the 2024 LEC Championship, where UMass Dartmouth ousted the Beacons 4-3. Graduate left-handed pitcher Thomas Kierce earned his third win of the season with a dominant three-inning start and five strikeouts. The Beacons totaled nine hits with six different players knocking one through. Mike Meagher, Jacob Levine, and Nick Farnacci each recorded two hits.
The next day, April 10, the Beacons earned a decisive victory over Suffolk University. In the sixth inning, UMass Boston’s offense erupted, scoring six runs to break the game open with a 7-0 lead. This was complemented by solid pitching performances from Justin Silverstein, Keenan Metrick, and Hunter Ward. Suffolk fought back a little in the ninth, but UMass Boston held on to win 7-4. After the game, Sophomore infielder Elliot Miles lead the LEC with 30 RBIs. Mariano Jimenez went 3-for-5 from the plate with one RBI.
On April 11, the Beacons were swept in an LEC doubleheader by the Keene State Owls in Keene, New Hampshire. In the opening game, UMass Boston fell hard as the Owls wiped the floor with them, 10-0. The Beacons tallied only four hits; Brandon Gaer and Levine each doubled. Meagher and Miles had singles.
The second game was the same story; the Owls scored nine unanswered runs through the first seven innings. The Beacons couldn’t get the bats going until the eighth, but it was too late. The 9-5 loss secured the sweep for Keene State. Freshman Cole Bissaillon went a perfect 2-for-2 with an RBI from the bench. The Beacons fell to 6-3 in LEC play and stood in third place in the LEC standings, behind Keene State and Eastern Connecticut State.
After the start against UMass Dartmouth, senior right-hander Ross Dexter totaled 49 career appearances and 184 strikeouts. At the time of this article, he stands at 3-1 in eight appearances with an ERA of 3.76 in 40.2 innings pitched.
At the end of the week, UMass Boston stood with a 17-10 record, good for a win percentage of .630. Compared to last year, they were 18-8 by April 13, good for a win percentage of .692. The Beacons are right on track, following an impressive bout last year, and hope to maintain their momentum as we pass the halfway point of the season. Just like last year, UMass Boston plays great in Beaconville with a strong 10-1 record, only losing 2-0 against Endicott College on April 2.
