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Box Score 2 DARTMOUTH, Mass. -- The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth scored eight runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to erase a seven-run deficit and Connor Shaw stroked a game-winning, two-out single in the bottom of the 14th to lead the Corsairs to a 10-9 victory and a Little East Conference baseball sweep of Eastern Connecticut State University Saturday afternoon at Corsairs Field.
In the opener, Erick Ramirez singled home the winning run with one out in the bottom of the 11th inning as UMass Dartmouth (16-18, 7-5 LEC) posted a 3-2 victory.
Eastern (19-13, 7-4 LEC) entered play with a half-game lead in the LEC standings, but falls a half-game back of co-leaders University of Southern Maine and University of Massachusetts Boston. Southern Maine split a road doubleheader with Keene State College and UMB swept homestanding Plymouth State University.
The second game equaled the longest game in Eastern recorded history, matching the Warriors' 4-3, 14-inning victory at Nichols College in 1980. UMass swept Eastern for the first time in 28 years.
Eastern took an 8-1 lead into the bottom of the seventh inning of the first game, but UMD sent 12 batters to the plate in scoring eight earned runs on seven hits, with six of the runs coming across with two out. Cleanup hitter Jose Vasquez launched a grand slam to tie the game and Brandon Polignone drove in the go-ahead run with a single.
Eastern tied the game, 9-9, in the eighth on singles by senior third baseman Chad Adams (Ware, MA), sophomore first baseman D.J. Scavone (Auburn, MA) and freshman DH Alex Parkos (Meriden).
On the day, Scavone and junior centerfielder Alex Zachary (Enfield) extended hitting streak to 16 and ten, respectively. Parkos had five hits and two RBI and Adams, Zachary and Scavone all had four hits. Sophomore second baseman Mike Funaro (Northford) had three hits and drove in two runs and junior shortstop Christian Budzik (Cromwell) reached safely six times with four walks and two hits and was perfect on nine fielding chances.
Sophomore lefty Jacob Smith (East Longmeadow, MA) pitched into the eighth inning of the first game, leaving with the game tied. He gave up only five hits and one earned run, fanning three and walking four.
Freshman righty Jordan Muchin (West Hartford) took a 8-1 lead into the seventh inning of the nightcap. He allowed two runs in the seventh and was lifted after giving up a two-out RBI triple. Vasquez' grand slam followed three batters later.
As the fourth of four pitchers, junior righty Sam Kosterich (Stamford) came out of the bullpen to pitch the final 6 1/3 innings of the nightcap. He surrendered only four hits but was charged with the winning run in the bottom of the 14th.
Eastern visits Western Connecticut State University in an LEC makeup game Sunday at 1 p.m., with a victory moving the Warriors into a share of the LEC lead with a noon doubleheader remaining Friday at defending champion Southern Maine.
