UMPI Baseball wrapped up their games on a stronger note Wednesday, splitting a doubleheader with Keuka College. After dropping a tight game one, the Owls bounced back in a big way offensively in game two to earn a 17-11 win. 

Game 1: 4-2 Wolves 
Game one was a low scoring battle where UMPI just couldn't quite get over the hump late.  Keuka got on the board first in the second inning with a sacrifice fly, then added another in the third on an RBI single to take a 2-0 lead. From there, it turned into a pitcher's duel, with Matthew Pelletier settling in and keeping the Owls within striking distance. 

Pelletier gave UMPI a chance all game long, going 6.1 innings and limiting damage despite traffic on the bases. But Keuka found some insurance in the seventh, stringing together a double and a single to extend the lead to 4-0. 

The Owls didn't go quietly. After going down in order each of the first six innings, and then making the first two outs of the 7th,  Diego Maldonado reached safely on an error to ensure Keuka's starter didn't face the minnimum on the day. Maldonado came around to score the very next batter on a Mitchell Kley triple, putting UMPI on the board. Garrett Chadwick followed it up with an RBI double to bring the Owls within two. But the rally stopped there as Keuka held on for the 4-2 win. 

Top Performers: 
At the plate, Carter Murphy continued to swing it well, going a perfect 2-for-2. Kley and Chadwick each delivered clutch extra-base hits in the seventh, while UMPI finished with four hits as a team. 

Game 2: 17-11 Owls 
Game two was the exact opposite, an offensive explosion from both sides, with UMPI landing the bigger punches throughout. Keuka jumped out early again, scoring twice in the first, but the Owls answered in a huge way in the second inning. Romeo Harris got things started with an RBI single, and then Diego Maldonado delivered the biggest swing of the day and the year, with a grand slam to right field that flipped the game and gave UMPI a 5-2 lead. 

From there, the Owls kept the pressure on. A five-run third inning broke things open even more, highlighted by a two-RBI single from Maldonado and run-producing at-bats from Mason Long and Ronnie Golmon. 

Even as Keuka tried to claw back into it with runs in the third and fourth, UMPI continued to respond and kept their foot on the gas. The Owls tacked on more in the fourth and then blew it open in the fifth, with RBI doubles from Carter Murphy and Mike Langley helping push the lead to 17-9. Keuka added a couple late, but the damage had already been done.


Top Performers:
Offensively, it was UMPI's best performance of the year by far. Diego Maldonado led the way with a monster game, driving in seven runs including the grand slam. Hector Perez scored three times and added two hits, while Carter Murphy and Mike Langley both contributed key extra-base hits. Romeo Harris also had a strong day, reaching base multiple times and driving in three. On the mound, Potter Raymond got the start before Mason Long earned his first career win, coming in on long relief, throwing 4.2 innings, allowing four earned, walking just one batter, and struck out five. Long made his living with his slider as Keuka was unable to tee off on it despite probably knowing it was coming. Mason Long has made quite a few appearances out of the pen and spot starts throughout his career while also being a reliable second baseman all four of his years, but no performance of his stands out quite more than this one. 

Up Next:
The Owls have another doubleheader in Florida on Thursday afternoon, taking on Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts at the Lake Myrtle Sports Park in Auburndale. The Owls have split with MCLA both of the last two times they've played them in Florida, and will look to pick up a couple more wins.