Baseball Rallies from Seven Down to Post 10-7 Win over UMass Dartmouth

NORTH DARTMOUTH, Mass. –Junior Sean Brooks recorded a pair of doubles and four RBI in the final two innings for Bridgewater State University, who rallied from a seven run deficit to stun the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth baseball team at Cressy Field on Thursday afternoon, 10-7.

The Corsairs fall to 12-14 on the year, while the Bears improve their season record to 11-15. BSU skipper Rick Smith was coaching in his 800th game.  Smith is 509-286-5 (.639) in 21 seasons at Bridgewater State.

Bridgewater State generated all 10 of their runs in the final two innings. First baseman Nicholas White jump-started the rally in the top of the eight inning with an RBI single to right field, knocking home sophomore Keaghan Austin-MacInnis and advancing Jacob Souza to third. A wild pitch allowed for Austin-MacInnis to cross the plate and White to reach third. A fielding error by UMass Dartmouth gave White the chance to touch home and cut the deficit down to four runs. Brooks smacked one of his two doubles to right center, scoring teammates Shane Varnadore and Billy Mitchell to make it a 7-5 game.

In the bottom half of the inning, junior Alberto Vasquez (Roxbury, Mass.) reached on a single, but the Corsairs were unable to string anything together.  With eight innings in the books, UMass Dartmouth held on to a two run lead (7-5).

To open the ninth, pinch hitter Kevin Sugermeyer was hit by a pitch, stole second and eventually brought Bridgewater State within one run on an Anthony Deleo single.  Mitchell followed with a base-knock through the left side, moving Deleo to second. Varnadore came through with a clutch RBI double to tie the game at seven. Brooks stepped up and knocked home two more runs on his second double of the game, giving the Bears their first lead of the contest, 9-7. Sophomore Devin Sanders gave his team an insurance run when he singled home Brooks.

Sophomore Shane Surette pitched three innings of relief work for Bridgewater State. Surette scattered three hits and surrendered only one walk to capture his first win of the season.

The Corsairs scored at least one run in the first six innings of play, except for the fourth. Centerfielder Ryan Medeiros (Acushnet, Mass.) led off the bottom of the first with his second homerun of the season. Sophomore Connor Shaw (Goffstown, N.H.) reached home plate on a fielder's choice in the second and registered a pair of sacrifice flies in the third and fifth to give UMass Dartmouth a commanding four-run lead.  The Corsairs tacked on three more runs in the sixth to further increase their advantage.

Senior Wayne Bolz (Billerica, Mass.) garnered a no-decision for the home team after allowing four hits and walking two in six and a third innings.

UMass Dartmouth returns to action on Saturday, April 19, when the Corsairs travel to Western Connecticut for a pair of conference games at noon and 3 p.m.  Bridgewater State is back on the diamond on Friday, April 18, for a doubleheader with Worcester State.

Notes: The game marked the 800th in the coaching career of BSU skipper Rick Smith.  Smith is 509-286-5 (.639) in 21 seasons at Bridgewater State.