LEWISTON, ME
UMPI Baseball went to Lewiston but ran into a tough SUNY Cobleskill squad, dropping both games of the series by scores of 4-0 and 4-2. Despite solid efforts on the mound, the Owls struggled to generate enough offense to keep pace.
Game 1: 4-0 Fighting Tigers
Game one was a pitcher's duel early, with Matthew Pelletier keeping UMPI within striking distance through six innings. However, Cobleskill broke through in the fourth with an RBI double, then added another in the fifth on a bases-loaded walk to extend the lead to 2-0.
UMPI couldn't find an answer offensively, managing just two hits on the day. Hector Perez and Mitchell Kley each recorded a hit, but the Owls weren't able to string anything together against Cobleskill's pitching. The Tigers added insurance runs in the seventh, pushing the lead to 4-0 and putting the game out of reach. Pelletier took the loss despite another solid performance, while Seth Espling came in and struck out four over three innings of relief.
Game 2: 4-2 Tigers
Game two followed a similar script, with Cobleskill jumping out early and UMPI trying to claw back late. The Tigers scored twice in the first inning and added another in the third to take a 3-0 lead. They tacked on one more in the fourth, making it 4-0 before the Owls could respond.
UMPI finally broke through in the sixth inning. Mitchell Kley delivered an RBI single to get the Owls on the board, and another run came across on a double play to cut the deficit to 4-2.
That would be as close as UMPI would get, as Cobleskill held on the rest of the way. Carter Murphy led the Owls offensively with a 2-for-3 performance, while Ronnie Golmon, Kley, and Perez each contributed hits. On the mound, Mike Langley went the distance, allowing four runs over six innings while striking out four.
It was a frustrating doubleheader for UMPI, as strong pitching performances kept them in both games with both starters pitching well enough to get a win, but the offense couldn't quite get going at the right moments. The Owls showed they can compete in tight games but will look to find more consistency at the plate moving forward.
Up Next:
UMPI drops to 4-11 and 3-7 in conference will look to bounce back as they take on Cobleskill tomorrow (weather permitting) for two more games beginning at noon.
