Game One: Vermont 17, UMBC 4 | Box Score
Game Two: Vermont 4, UMBC 2 | Box Score
BALTIMORE, Md. --
Four home runs including a grand slam by Kyle Massie (Rutland, Vt.) lifted Vermont to a 17-4 win over UMBC in the first game of an America East baseball doubleheader Saturday afternoon at The Baseball Factory Field at UMBC. The Catamounts (7-10, 2-1 America East) completed the sweep with a 4-2 win in the nightcap as starter Eric Thompson (Norwich, Conn.) went the distance scattering only five hits. Miguel Magrass (West Roxbury, Mass.) continued his torrid pace going 2-for-5 with a homer, a double and two RBI as the Catamounts snapped a five-game losing streak in the opener. In the second game, he added a two-run double to give UVM the lead for good in the fourth inning. He leads the team with 22 RBI and has driven in 114 runs in his career, fifth all-time in program history. In game one, UVM jumped all over UMBC starter Will Delawter with 11 runs in the first two innings. Magrass homered in a three-run first and had a RBI-double in the second as the Catamounts sent 20 hitters to the plate in the first two frames. Massie's grand slam, the first homer of his career, capped the eight-run second that also saw Brad Currier (Essex Jct., Vt.) picking up two hits, a double and a single, in the inning. Every UVM starter reached base and scored a run in its highest scoring game since March 18, 2006 when it defeated Fairleigh Dickinson, 18-2, in Bradenton, Fla. Other top hitters for the Catamounts, who had 14 hits and drew four walks, were freshmen Matt Duffy (Milton, Mass.) who went 3-for-6 with 3 RBI on two doubles and his first career home run, Jason Leclerc (Chicopee, Mass.) who was 2-for-4 with a RBI, and Corey Moylan (Glenview, Ill.), who pinch-hit in the last inning and delivered a three-run homer. Currier and Massie each had two hits and Ethan Paquette (West Burke, Vt.) had a RBI-single in the second. The early uprising was enough for lefty Joe Serafin (Tariffville, Conn.) who went the first five innings to win his third straight decision. In his first outing since March 15, Serafin (3-1) allowed seven hits, three walks and four runs while striking out four. Tom Kelly (Milton, Mass.) finished it up with two scoreless innings giving up two hits and a walk. The first of three UMBC pitchers in game one, Delawter (0-3) suffered the loss. At the plate he went 3-for-4 with a double and two RBI. Thompson (2-1) settled down after some early wildness and was outstanding in game two. The senior lefty struck out a season-high seven and walked six but only two in the last three innings while protecting a slim lead. After a leadoff walk in the sixth, he induced a double play and then allowed only a one-out single in the seventh. In the first, Wink Nolan doubled and came around to score for UMBC. Retrievers starter Eddie Bach retired the first 10 Catamounts before allowing back-to-back walks to Duffy and Justin Milo (Edina, Minn.) with one down in the fourth. Magrass brought both runners home with a double to right center and after moving to third a single by Paquette, he scored on a sacrifice fly by Todd Allen (Oriskany, N.Y.). Doubles by Steve Retz and Nolan gave UMBC another run in its fourth and Vermont used small ball to pick up a run in its half of the fifth. Massie led with a double, moved to third on a bunt single by Eric Fredette (Glastonbury, Conn.) and came in on a squeeze bunt by Mark Micowski (Haddam, Conn.). With a hit in each contest, Paquette extended his hitting streak to 11 games. The sophomore leads the club with a .371 batting average after hitting only .235 as a freshman. Both teams had five hits in the nightcap and both played errorless ball. UMBC (8-15, 1-2) was hurt in the opener by committing five miscues leading to six unearned runs.Bach (2-3) went six and two-thirds innings and was the tough luck loser in game two. Vermont and UMBC wrap up the four-game series with a single game Sunday at noon.

PUBLISHED

04-05-2008
Bruce Bosley