PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Sophomore
Jackson Curtis (Jefferson, N.H.) lofted a two-out, bases loaded single to center to score a pair of runs as Plymouth State University walked off the University of Massachusetts Boston, 13-12, in a Little East Conference (LEC) baseball game at Parish Field on Tuesday afternoon.
The Panthers took a 9-8 lead in the bottom of the eighth when Curtis' single drove in junior
Griffin Crane (Lancaster, N.H.), but the Beacons rallied in the ninth. A pair of singles and walk loaded the bases and all three runners scored on a triple. UMass Boston tacked on another run on a sacrifice fly for a 12-9 lead.
Freshman
Tyler Wright (Concord, N.H.) started the comeback with a single up the middle. After a strikeout, UMass Boston's pitcher lost the zone, walking three straight to force in a run. The Beacons got another strikeout for the second out, but a walk cut the margin to 12-11 and Curtis followed with his game-winning hit.
Plymouth State picks up a key Little East win to improve to 12-19 overall (4-7 LEC), while UMass Boston drops to 21-10 and 9-2 in conference play.
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 13, UMass Boston 12
- Plymouth State (12-19, 4-7 LEC)
- UMass Boston (21-10, 9-2 LEC)
How it Happened:
- Plymouth State got out to a good start when Crane smashed a two-out triple to center and senior Bryan McGrath (Franklin, Mass.) lined a single over the shortstop's head for a quick 1-0 lead.
- UMass Boston leapfrogged ahead with a pair of runs in the second and a sacrifice fly and two-run shot in the third made it a 5-1 game.
- Junior Alex Rives (Gilford, N.H.) and Crane knocked back-to-back singles to open the bottom of the inning and junior Nick Healey (Campton, N.H.) brought in a run with a one-out single. A wild pitch moved Healey up to third and sophomore Joshua Welsh (East Lyme, Conn.) made it a one-run game (5-4) with a two-run single.
- Plymouth State pulled in front in the fourth. Freshman Danny Quinn (Holliston, Mass.) doubled and sophomore Luke Sokolski (Waterford, Conn.) followed with a two-run blast to left to go in front. With one down Crane walked and McGrath followed with a towering drive over the leftfield wall to make it 8-5.
- The Beacons brought the tying run to the plate with two away in the sixth but junior Bobby Cliche (Stratham, N.H.) got a ground out to end the inning.
- UMass Boston used a sacrifice fly and two-out, two-run single to pull even in the seventh.
- Crane opened the eighth with a single and was bunted to second. He moved up to third on a fly ball and scampered home on a looping single from Curtis.
- The Beacons erupted for four runs in the top of ninth to grab a 12-9 lead.
- Wright singled up the middle and with one away, Sokolski, Rives and Crane all walked to force in a run. UMass Boston got a strikeout for the second out, but Healey walked to make it a 12-11 game and Curtis blooped a single up the middle for the walk-off win.
By the Numbers:
- Crane reached base five times, going 3-for-4 with a triple, two walks, five runs scored and an RBI.
- McGrath, Healey, Curtis and Welsh all had two hits. McGrath and Curtis drove in three apiece, while Welsh and Sokolski each knocked in a pair.
- The Panthers' 17 hits were one shy of the season high.
- PSU's 13 runs against the Beacons were the most since a 17-2 win in May of 2001, while the win snapped a four-game losing streak to UMass Boston.
- Senior Noah Wachter (Concord, N.H.) picked up the win after going the final 2.1 innings. Cliche struck out seven in his 3.2 innings, while junior Eoin Hamell-Kelleher (Attleboro, Mass.) went the first three.
Up Next:
- The Panthers host New England College for a pair of seven-inning games on Thursday (Apr. 28). First pitch for the opener is set for 2:00 p.m.
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