DARTMOUTH, Mass. – Junior Sam Malgeri (Stratham, N.H.) smashed his fourth home run of the season but the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth rallied for a game one win, then completed a sweep of Plymouth State University in a Little East Conference (LEC) double header at UMD Baseball Field on Friday.
 
Plymouth State used a five-run fifth to take an 8-f lead in the opener. Sophomore Brendan Flynn (Arlington, Mass.) singled home a run and junior Danny Quinn (Holliston, Mass.) added an RBI double before Malgeri blasted a two-run shot to center to put PSU. UMD chipped into the margin with three in the sixth, though, and two runs in the eighth gave the Corsairs the lead. The Panthers got a leadoff walk in the ninth, but the runner was erased on a double play as PSU dropped a 9-8 decision.
 
Plymouth State's bats were stymied in game two. The Panthers were able to string together three hits, including a leadoff double by senior Luke Sokolski (Waterford, Conn.), in the fourth inning to score a run, but UMass Dartmouth took an early lead on the way to a 9-1 win.
 
Plymouth State dips to 7-11 (3-5 LEC), while the Corsairs go to 18-12-1 (10-0 LEC).
 
The Basics:

• GAME ONE: Plymouth State 8, UMass Dartmouth 9
• GAME TWO: Plymouth State 1, UMass Dartmouth 9
  • Plymouth State (7-11, 3-5 LEC)
  • UMass Dartmouth (18-12-1, 10-0 LEC)

 
How it Happened (Game One):

• Graduate student Alex Rives (Gilford, N.H.) was hit by a pitch and senior Jackson Curtis (Jefferson, N.H.) followed with a base hit before Sokolski gave PSU an early lead with a double down the third base line. Flynn added an RBI groundout for a quick 2-0 advantage.
• UMass Dartmouth tied the game in the third but graduate student Nick Healey (Campton, N.H.) put the Panthers back in front, 3-2, with an RBI single in the fourth.
• The hosts came right back with two runs in the bottom of the inning to leapfrog back into the lead but again the Panthers answered back. Rives was hit by a pitch again and Curtis reached on a bunt single to put two runners on. Flynn tied the game with an RBI single and a wild pitch and Quinn's double made it 6-4. Malgeri followed with a deep shot to dead center to make it 8-4.
• The Corsairs plated three runs in the bottom of the sixth to cut the lead to 8-7, then scored twice in the eighth to go in front.
• Rives walked to open the ninth, but UMass Dartmouth was able to turn a double play and a ground out ended the game.

By the Numbers (Game One):

• Rives reached base four times without a hit. He was hit by a pitch three times and took a walk, scoring twice.
• Curtis went 2-for-5 and scored a pair of runs, while Flynn scored twice and drove in a pair.
• Freshman Josh Worthington (Pownal, Vt.) had a two-hit game with a pair of singles in four at bats.
• Freshman Greg Mayo (Boston, Mass.) breezed through the seventh inning, needing just ten pitches to retire the side in order.

 
How it Happened (Game Two):

• UMass Dartmouth struck for four runs in the second and added a single run in the third to take the early lead.
• Sokolski doubled and scored on Flynn's RBI single to get the Panthers on the board in the fourth.
• The hosts answered right back with two runs in the bottom half to make it 7-1.
• PSU put a pair of runners on in the seventh when Worthington and junior Scooter Summa (Ellicott City, Md.) singled with two down, but the two were stranded.
• The Corsairs tacked on two insurance runs in the eighth to account for the final score.

By the Numbers (Game Two):

• Sokolski had two hits in four at bats, including a double, and scored the Panthers' run.
• Six other Panthers had base hits.
• Flynn drove in a run for his team-leading 21st RBI of the season.
• Junior Ryan Williams (Merrimack, N.H.) gave up just three earned runs over his 5.1 innings.

  
Up Next:

• The Panthers host VTSU Castleton for a Little East Conference (LEC) double header on Sunday (Apr. 21). Game one is slated for 1:00 p.m. at Robbie Mills Field in Laconia.

 
 
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