AUBURNDALE, FL — The last game of the RussMatt invitational for the Owls, UMPI (1-5) would match up with the Salem State Vikings (4-3) for a single game. UMPI's senior centerfielder
Joey Lippo would etch his name into UMPI history, collecting his 100th career hit in the game.
How it happened:
UMPI would assert itself after surrendering two first inning runs by fighting back to take the lead 3-2 after one full frame. The Owls would add two more in the second to go up 5-2. Salem made it 5-4 after three before exploding for 18 runs over the next three innings. The vikings finished with an impressive 22 runs on 24 hits, winning 22-10 and shortening the game to seven innings when it was all said and done.
On the mound:
Freshman
Jonah Baude made his second start of the spring trip. Baude struggled in the early going in his first outing flipped the script this time and was solid through the first three striking out four. He would run into trouble in the 4th as a flurry of Viking batters began crushing the ball. In relief
Ian McCray and
Mason Long would make their second appearances of the year. Both of them would run into similar fates as Baude. On the mound for UMPI was freshman
Michael Langley who was the fourth pitcher of the game for the Owls. He allowed just one hit in his 1.2 innings of relief and earned his first collegiate strikeout.
At the Plate:
UMPI's bats showed up in a big way on this day. They would finish with 12 hits as a team, their second most of any game on the year, and still plated across 10 runs in the mercy-rule loss.
Joey Lippo would earn his 100th hit in the first inning with a hot shot that got by the third baseman. Lippo finished the day 2-5 from the leadoff spot. Tim Burns stayed hot and above the .500 mark on the year going 2-3 with a double. Senior
Joey Blake had a great day at the plate as well going 2-3, driving in three runs. The bottom of the Owls order continued to be a pain for the opposition as Eight-hole
Ricky Goupille went 2-4 with a double, while nine hitter
Payton Jones went 2-3 with an RBI.
Next up: The Owls (now 1-6) will face off against Fisher College in Boston for a three game slate on the 21st and 22nd.
