MERION STATION, Pa. – Early runs and another strong pitching performance led the Saint Joseph's baseball team to a 7-3 over UMass and a series sweep at Smithson Field on Sunday afternoon.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
• UMass (6-25 overall, 1-11 Atlantic 10) got on the board in the top of the first, scoring on a sacrifice fly by Carter Hanson.
 
• Saint Joseph's (15-19 overall, 7-5 Atlantic 10) took the lead in the second on a two-out, two-run double by Max Hitman.  In the third, Justin Igoe added a two-run single of his own to make it a 4-1 game.
 
• An RBI groundout by Will MacLean in the fourth cut the Hawk lead to 4-2, but solo home runs from Ryan Weingartner and Luke Zimmerman in the bottom of the sixth pushed the advantage to 6-2.
 
• In the seventh, Justin Blumenthal hit an RBI single to bring the Minutemen back within three, but Igoe doubled in the bottom of the frame to restore the four-run lead and set the final margin.
 
BEHIND THE BOX SCORE
• Domenic Picone allowed two runs and scattered seven hits while striking out three in six innings to earn the win.  Matt McShane conceded a run on three hits and fanned two in three innings to notch his second save of the season.  Jack Steele was charged with six runs on nine hits in five and two-thirds innings to take the loss.
 
• Five Hawks notched two hits in the game, with Igoe driving in three runs and Hitman bringing home two.  Weingartner and Zimmerman each scored two runs on the day.
 
UP NEXT
The Hawks' homestand continues on Tuesday as they host Delaware.