MANSFIELD, Conn. – Sophomore
Luke Sokolski (Waterford, Conn.) had another three hits, but fifth-seeded University of Massachusetts Dartmouth scored ten runs in the late innings to knock out sixth-seeded Plymouth State University, 13-4, in game four of the Little East Conference (LEC) baseball tournament at Eastern Baseball Stadium on Thursday.
Sokolski closed out the season with another big day at the dish, going 3-for-4 with a double and a walk and junior
Trey Parker (Lebanon, N.H.) shook off a tough first inning to pitch into the sixth inning, but the Corsairs got to PSU's bullpen to pull away in the late innings.
UMass Dartmouth led 3-0 just four batters into the game, but Parker recovered to give the Panthers' depth and Plymouth State battled back. PSU scored twice in the bottom of the first and tied the game on Sokolski's RBI single in the second.
UMass Dartmouth regained the lead with two runs in the top of the sixth, before exploding for four runs in both the seventh and eighth innings to put the game out of reach.
Plymouth State ends the year with a 14-26 record, while UMass Dartmouth improves to 16-22-1 and advances to day three of the tournament.
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 4, UMass Dartmouth 13
- Plymouth State (14-26)
- UMass Dartmouth (16-22-1)
How it Happened:
- UMass Dartmouth jumped out to a quick lead in the top of the first. After Parker got a strike out to start the frame, the Corsairs used an infield single and back-to-back home runs to grab an early 3-0 lead.
- PSU came right back in the bottom of the frame. Sokolski smacked a double and junior Alex Rives (Gilford, N.H.) singled to put runners on the corners. Junior Griffin Crane (Lancaster, N.H.) singled in a run and senior Bryan McGrath (Franklin, Mass.) cut the margin to 3-2 with a sacrifice fly.
- Parker worked out of a jam in the second, getting a key strikeout and comebacker to strand two runners in scoring position and the Panthers' offense went right back to work. After two quick outs, senior Max Lamora (Concord, N.H.) worked a walk and moved up on a wild pitch before tying the game on Sokolski's single.
- PSU tried to rally with two down in the fifth after Sokolski walked and Rives singled, but the Corsairs were able to record the third out.
- UMD loaded the bases with one out in the sixth and a two-run single gave the Corsairs the lead and ended Parker's day. Junior Eoin Hamell-Kelleher (Attleboro, Mass.) came on to get the final out.
- The first five batters reached in the top of the seventh as UMass Dartmouth pulled ahead with a four-run inning. Plymouth State got one run back in the bottom of the frame after Lamora and Sokolski ripped back-to-back doubles to cut the margin to 9-4.
- The Corsairs' bats continued to pound out hits in the eighth to push across another four runs and the Panthers were unable to rally.
By the Numbers:
- Sokolski finished 3-for-4 with a walk, two RBI and a run scored. He had hits in each of his last 11 games, during which he batted .429 (18-for-42) with three doubles, four home runs, 11 runs scored and 16 RBI. The streak raised his season average from .257 to .
- Rives went 2-for-4 with a run scored and also reached on a walk.
- Lamora reached twice with a single and a walk and scored a pair of runs.
- Parker ended up going 5.2 innings. He struck out eight and allowed five runs, all earned.
Up Next:
- The loss marks the end of Plymouth State's season and the final game for Lamora and senior Noah Wachter (Concord, N.H.).
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