MERION STATION, Pa. – A five-run first inning set the pace and a five-run sixth inning sealed the deal as the Saint Joseph's baseball team routed UMass, 12-3, at Smithson Field on Saturday afternoon.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
• The visitors threatened to draw first blood as the first three batters of the game each drew a walk.  Ryan DeSanto then settled in for the Hawks, getting a pop-up, a strikeout, and a ground ball to escape the threat.
 
• Saint Joseph's (14-19 overall, 6-5 Atlantic 10) capitalized right away as Brett Callahan led off the game with a home run.  Three consecutive singles by Ryan Cesarini, Nate Thomas, and Ryan Weingartner doubled the advantage to 2-0.
 
• Justin Igoe then cleared the bases with a three-run home run to give the home team a 5-0 lead after an inning.
 
• Thomas would add a two-out RBI single in the second to make it a six-run game.
 
• UMass (6-24 overall, 1-10 Atlantic 10) scored twice in the third and once in the fifth to cut the deficit in half.
 
• The Hawks broke things open in the bottom of the sixth.  Igoe reached on an error before advancing to second on a single by Luke Zimmerman.  Ryan Picollo then greeted a UMass reliever with a double to the gap in left center to score both runners and make it an 8-3 game.
 
• Luca Trigiani then followed with a home run to center to push the lead to 10-3.  Four batters later, an infield single by Thomas pushed across another run.
 
• In the seventh, Picollo reached on a two-out single before scoring the game's final run on a triple by Trigiani.
 
BEHIND THE BOX SCORE
• David Owsik allowed one hit over two and two-thirds innings of shutout relief to earn the win, while Mike Falco allowed just one baserunner in the final two innings of the game for SJU.
 
• DeSanto did not figure in the decision; he was charged with three runs on three hits with six strikeouts in four and a third innings; starter Taylor Perrett took the loss for UMass after allowing six runs on eight hits in two innings.
 
• Picollo had a banner day for the Hawks, going 4-for-4 with two runs scored and two driven in, while Thomas was 3-for-4 with a run scored and two RBI.  Igoe and Trigiani both collected three RBI in the game as well.
 
• Every batter in the Hawk starting lineup recorded at least one hit in the game.
 
UP NEXT
The teams will conclude the series on Sunday afternoon.  First pitch is set for 1:00 p.m., with a live stream available on ESPN+.