Panthers Baseball Split Doubleheader with UMB in Season Finale

PLYMOUTH- On Sunday, May 8 the Plymouth State University baseball team wrapped up their regular season in a Little East Conference doubleheader against the Beacons of the University of Massachusetts Boston at Panther Park. PSU looked to improve on their 11-27 season record and 2-10 in conference play, while UMB hoped to do the same, as their record stood at 13-19 on the season and 3-7 in the LEC. The Panthers entered the game by riding a 6-4 record in their last ten games. In game one of the twinbill, the Beacons scored an unearned run in the opening inning to be the first on the board, but the Panthers took back the lead in the third inning by scoring a pair of runs. The runs were formulated by a Brandon Hodge (freshman) walk to lead off, a freshman John Pogorzelski single, which came an out later, followed by a Derek Guimond (senior) sacrifice fly to bring home Hodge, then a Matt Gabellieri (senior) single to drive in Porgorzelski. The 2-1 Panther lead stood for most of the game, and was extended in the seventh as Hodge had an RBI single to set it to 3-1 PSU.The Panthers were legit through the first eight innings of play with freshman Chip Hale leading the way. Hale tossed a gem by surrendering just four hits and one unearned run through eight innings. However, as he carried the Panther’s lead into the ninth inning, things began to unravel. UMB’s Paul Tedesco (senior) and Jeran Mondalto (sophomore) hit two consecutive singles to lead off the inning. A sacrifice bunt moved the runners up 90 feet apiece, then both runners crossed homeplate to tie the game at three all on a pinch-hit single up the middle by freshman Derrick Plante. Plante moved up to second on the throw home from the play, and eventually scored to claim the UMB lead on a single by freshman Fernando Pena off of PSU reliever Steve Wheeler (freshman).UMB would eventually take care of business in the bottom of the ninth and seal the 4-3 victory. The Beacon’s sophomore Pat Donovan was credited with the victory after tossing two-and-two-thirds innings of scoreless ball in relief, and letting up just three hits.The night cap proved to be a different story as UMB’s Pena drove in a run on a single to take an early lead, but PSU came right back with a pair of their own in the home half of the third. Gabellieri smacked one in with a base hit, and the other run came home on a sacrifice fly by junior C.J. Rousseau.UMass came back to tie the game at two apiece in their portion of the fourth thanks to senior Chris King knocking in a run. However in the fifth inning PSU took the lead, and took it for good, when sophomore Trevor Hall hit a single to drive in the go ahead run. This was one of Hall’s three hits of the game. PSU’s 3-2 lead was insured in the eighth after the Panthers tacked on three more runs, with the final two scoring on a single by Steve Campo (sophomore). The 6-3 score was eventually taken into the ninth and solidified, with PSU on top to win their final game of the season.Panther pitching was lead by Ryan Lavelle, who went seven solid innings by allowing just five hits, one walk, two runs with only one earned, and punching out four. Wheeler pitched the final two innings of relief to pick up the- his first of the year. With the appearance, Wheeler set the PSU single-season record of pitching appearances with 24.The split doubleheader finalized PSU’s record to 12-28 on the season, and 3-11 in the LEC, while UMB went to 14-20 on the season, and 4-8 in conference play. UMB will play its season finale against Western Connnecticut on Tuesday.A few notable statistics included Derek Guimond by finishing the season as PSU’s leading hitter in batting average, by maintaining a .331 average. He set the school record for runs scored in a season with 50, and led the team this year with 50 hits, 27 walks, 12 doubles, and 22 stolen bases. C.J. Rousseau led the team in home runs with two, and runs batted in with 32.Plymouth finished the year strong by going 7-5 in their final 12 games of the season.