University of Massachusets Athletics
Photo by: THOM KENDALL FOR UMASS ATHLETICS
Home Runs Help Lift Baseball Past Sacred Heart, 7-4
April 20, 2022 | Baseball
MacLean and Luttazi each homered in the victory at Earl Lorden Field.
AMHERST, Mass. – Two home runs aided the University of Massachusetts baseball team to a 7-4 triumph over Sacred Heart University on Wednesday afternoon at Earl Lorden Field. Freshman Will MacLean recorded his fourth homer of the season in the second inning, before redshirt junior Steve Luttazi registered his fourth long ball of the year in the third.
Nolan Tichy led the team with three hits on four at bats, while tallying two RBIs and one run all on a three-base knock. Cole Hebble and Luttazi had two hits apiece, including a double from Hebble and Luttazi's solo shot, and totaled two runs each. In addition to Tichy's two RBIs, Luttazi and MacLean both batted in two-runs, as MacLean had a two-run home run.
Sacred Heart collected a pair of unearned runs in the top of the first, with the first coming in on a fielding error and the other on a throwing error by the Minutemen, to lead 2-0.
The lead was short-lived, as UMass scored four in the bottom half of the opening frame. With two outs, Hebble sat on third after hitting a double and advancing into scoring position on a passed ball, while MacLean sat on first after getting walked. Tichy stepped up and blasted a triple to center field to bring around both Hebble and MacLean to bring the game to a 2-2 draw. Luttazi singled to right field, sending Tichy to across the dish to give Massachusetts' its first lead of the day. Michael Rounds reached first base on a fielding error by the Pioneers that allowed Luttazi the chance to touch the plate to make it a 4-2 contest.
In the second, MacLean cranked a two-run shot over the right field fence, sending Hebble home from first and extending the Minutemen's lead to 6-2. Sacred Heart added a run in the top of the third to cut the deficit in half, but Luttazi took back the run for UMass with a lead-off solo homer off the first pitch to make it a 7-3 game.
The Pioneers tallied one more run in the ninth, with a late RBI single, but the Massachusetts' Blake Bennett struck out the tying run at the plate looking for the final out of the contest with two left on base.
Scott LeSieur (3-0) secured the win for UMass, pitching six complete innings, giving up three runs on five hits, walking three and striking out two. Max LeBlanc walked one and struck out one in one inning of work, while Bennett closed out two innings, allowing one run on two hits, walking two and dealing four strikeouts. Jack Kramer (0-2) took the loss for Sacred Heart, allowing four runs, three hits, walking two and registering two strikeouts.
Massachusetts travels to Dayton, Ohio, for a three-game series with Atlantic 10 rival Dayton on Friday, April 22 through Sunday, April 24. First pitch on Friday is set for 3 p.m., while Saturday's contest begins at 1 p.m. The series finale will be at 12 p.m. on Sunday.
Nolan Tichy led the team with three hits on four at bats, while tallying two RBIs and one run all on a three-base knock. Cole Hebble and Luttazi had two hits apiece, including a double from Hebble and Luttazi's solo shot, and totaled two runs each. In addition to Tichy's two RBIs, Luttazi and MacLean both batted in two-runs, as MacLean had a two-run home run.
Sacred Heart collected a pair of unearned runs in the top of the first, with the first coming in on a fielding error and the other on a throwing error by the Minutemen, to lead 2-0.
The lead was short-lived, as UMass scored four in the bottom half of the opening frame. With two outs, Hebble sat on third after hitting a double and advancing into scoring position on a passed ball, while MacLean sat on first after getting walked. Tichy stepped up and blasted a triple to center field to bring around both Hebble and MacLean to bring the game to a 2-2 draw. Luttazi singled to right field, sending Tichy to across the dish to give Massachusetts' its first lead of the day. Michael Rounds reached first base on a fielding error by the Pioneers that allowed Luttazi the chance to touch the plate to make it a 4-2 contest.
In the second, MacLean cranked a two-run shot over the right field fence, sending Hebble home from first and extending the Minutemen's lead to 6-2. Sacred Heart added a run in the top of the third to cut the deficit in half, but Luttazi took back the run for UMass with a lead-off solo homer off the first pitch to make it a 7-3 game.
The Pioneers tallied one more run in the ninth, with a late RBI single, but the Massachusetts' Blake Bennett struck out the tying run at the plate looking for the final out of the contest with two left on base.
Scott LeSieur (3-0) secured the win for UMass, pitching six complete innings, giving up three runs on five hits, walking three and striking out two. Max LeBlanc walked one and struck out one in one inning of work, while Bennett closed out two innings, allowing one run on two hits, walking two and dealing four strikeouts. Jack Kramer (0-2) took the loss for Sacred Heart, allowing four runs, three hits, walking two and registering two strikeouts.
Massachusetts travels to Dayton, Ohio, for a three-game series with Atlantic 10 rival Dayton on Friday, April 22 through Sunday, April 24. First pitch on Friday is set for 3 p.m., while Saturday's contest begins at 1 p.m. The series finale will be at 12 p.m. on Sunday.
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