LYNN, MA
For the second straight day, the Diamond Owls played a split doubleheader with NAIA foe Fisher College, and NAC opponent, Vermont-State University Lyndon. After a euphoric 10-inning win on Saturday over Lyndon, the Owls bats came out a little flat for both games on Sunday, which resulted in a shutout loss, and a one-run heartbreaker over Lyndon.
Game 1: (23-0 Falcons)
As the score suggests, the Owls ran into some nightmare innings in this one. Hector Perez led off the game with a triple, but it wouldn't be a sign of runs to come, as they stranded him there. Fisher scored five in the first the day before, and this time, the Owls held them to just one. A three-run second, followed by a five run third however, made it so Fisher had firm control anyway, leading 9-0 after three as the Owls searched for baserunners. In the 4th, Garrett Chadwick gave UMPI their second leadoff triple of the game, but Fisher worked their way out of it again.
In the 4th inning, the Falcons did some serious damage. They took advantage of a few errors and walks, and delivered four doubles, a triple, and two singles, to score 13 runs in the inning. What could go wrong, went wrong for UMPI as they just couldn't seem to get out of it. Fisher tacked on one more run in the 5th, and UMPI got just about every available hitter an at bat before the game was over. Fisher went on to win decisively, 23-0.
At the Plate:
The Owls had four hits as a team from four different players. Perez and Chadwick each went 1-3 with a triple, while Dylan Geren and Aiden Toy each had a single.
On the Mound:
The Owls used five different arms, with Spencer Harman starting the game. He went two innings, with four earned runs and a strikeout. The most efficient arm came when Michael Langley entered in the rocky 4th inning as he eventually got the Owls to the dugout. He threw 2.2 innings, allowing just one earned run on seven hits, and struck out a batter as well.
Game 2: (2-1 Hornets)
How it Happened:
The Owls had to wipe away the first game and move on to the very important conference matchup, with an opportunity to sweep Lyndon in front of them. In the second game of the day, it appeared very quickly that it would be a much different dynamic than the first one. The Hornets scored early, plating two runs on a pair of hits in the 2nd inning to go up 2-0. From there, it became a total stalemate. UMPI got their first baserunner in the third, and tried to manufacture one, but a great throw nabbed a base stealer with runners on the corners to end the inning.
For the next four innings, the Owls went down in order, as Lyndon's starter Jack Holley pitched an unbelievable game, and ended up going the distance. But in the 8th, UMPI their first baserunner since that 4th inning threat.
Playing some strategic small ball proved to be the only reason UMPI scored in this inning. After an infield single from Gabriel Wheeler, and a sacrifice bunt, it got a runner in scoring position. Wheeler then stole third after a strikeout and the Owls had a runner 90 feet away. Then Mason Long, was able to beat out another infield single, bringing Wheeler in. The Owls had manifested a run to bring it to 2-1.
They held the hornets off the board in the bottom of the 8th, but in the 9th, the Owls went away quietly in order, giving the Hornets a hard-earned 2-1 victory in what became a great pitchers' duel.
At the Plate:
UMPI had just three this as a team, all of them infield singles. Hector Perez, Gabriel Wheeler and Mason Long had the three, with Long picking up the lone RBI. Long also had the only walk of the game, making him the only runner to reach base twice.
On the Mound:
Jonah Baude had yet another quality outing for the Owls, with this one arguably being his best one of the year despite getting the loss. Baude did nothing less than keep the Owls in the game all day long. He went all eight innings strong, allowing six hits, and two earned runs which were way back in the 2nd. He struck out two batters and walked four. Baude induced 12 fly outs and nine groundouts in the game as the Owls played some great defense behind him.
Next Up:
UMPI drops to 4-6 on the season, and 1-3 in NAC play. They will get a well-deserved break with the next weekend off from games. They'll next play on April 4th when they travel down to Saint Joseph's College of Maine for a 3 p.m. single game in Standish, ME.
