March 7, 2004

Box Score

LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. - In game 1, the Minutemen got on the scoreboard in the top of the first inning as sophomore catcher Frank Curreri (Weymouth, Mass.) knocked a two-out RBI single to center field scoring senior second baseman Cullan Maumus (New Orleans, La.), who had doubled earlier in the inning.

UMass would plate a run in both the second and third innings, using RBI doubles from junior outfielder Derrick Durepo (Ware, Mass.) and senior captain first baseman Matt Reynolds (South Boston, Mass.) to light the scoreboard, staking the Minutemen a 3-0 lead. But Rider would come back with a run in its half of the third and the fourth to make it 3-2, a score which would hold until the seventh frame. A wild pitch allowed senior designated hitter Sean Sarno (Stoneham, Mass.) to score, increasing the UMass lead to 4-2 in the top of the seventh. Rider would come up with a couple of hits and a run in its half of the seventh to close the gap to one, 4-3, but UMass tallied a run in each of the last three innings to hold on to the win.

Curreri got his second RBI of the afternoon, and what proved to be the game-winner, as he lifted an RBI single to center field. He finished the day 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI and two walks. Senior righthanded pitcher Eric Chown (Fall River, Mass.) got the opening day win (1-0) scattering 10 hits over seven innings while striking out six and allowing just three runs, all earned. Sophomore lefty Scott Ratliff (Helendale, Calif.) closed out the last two innings totaling three strikeouts and stranding the tying run on second base for his first save of the season.