April 26, 2013

Box Score

AMHERST, Mass. - For the second consecutive game, Collin Forgey had the decisive swing of the bat in extra innings as the Saint Joseph's baseball team outlasted Massachusetts, 7-4, in 12 innings at Earl Lorden Field on Friday afternoon.

With the bases loaded and nobody out in the top of the 12th, Forgey stepped to the plate and ripped a double to right center that scored Mike Muha and Brian O'Keefe to put the Hawks on top, 6-4. Three batters later, Kevin Kratochwill hit into a fielder's choice that scored Chris Hueth to extend the lead to three.

It was Forgey's sacrifice fly with one out in the bottom of the 10th that pushed SJU past Delaware, 12-11, on Wednesday afternoon.

Saint Joseph's (21-19 overall, 8-5 Atlantic 10) opened the scoring right away as a misplayed fly ball off the bat of Hueth allowed Anthony Cirillo and Muha to score with two outs in the first inning and put the Hawks on top, 2-0.

Massachusetts (9-23 overall, 3-10 Atlantic 10) got one back in the bottom of the first after a two-out error preceded an RBI single by Dylan Begin. The Minutemen tied the game in the second on a two-out double by Ryan Cusick.

The Hawks went back on top in the fourth after led off with a double, went to third on a single by Greg Kumpel, and scored on a wild pitch.

Hueth doubled the lead in the sixth with a leadoff home run to left center, his second of the season.

UMass knotted things up once again in the seventh as two walks and three hits, including consecutive RBI singles by Rob McLam and Picard, left the game tied at four.

That's where it remained until the 12th, when Muha led off with a double before O'Keefe was hit by a pitch and Hueth walked to set up Forgey's game-winning double.

Lansing Veeder earned the win for Saint Joseph's in his first decision of the season, tossing three perfect innings of relief. Jimmy Yacabonis retired the side in the bottom of the 12th for his sixth save of the season, one shy of the program record of seven set by Kevin Kirkby in 2001.

Aaron Plunkett took the loss for Massachusetts, falling to 0-3 after allowing two runs on three hits and two walks in three and a third innings.

Neither starting pitcher figured in the decision; Kyle Mullen allowed four runs, three earned, on seven hits while walking three and striking out two in six and two-thirds innings, while UMass' Andrew Grant was charged with four runs, two of them earned, while allowing just three hits and five walks to go with his 13 strikeouts in seven and two-thirds innings.

Hueth was a catalyst for the Hawks on Friday, notching two hits and drawing two walks while scoring three runs and driving in one. Muha added a pair of runs scored as well.

The teams will continue the series on Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.