WINTER HAVEN, Florida - The University of Maine at Farmington baseball team dropped both ends of its doubleheader against Framingham State on Wednesday evening at the Russmatt Invitational. The Rams won game one, 12-5, before earning a 12-7 victory in game two.
Game One
Framingham jumped out to an early lead, scoring three runs in the top of the first inning, all coming with two outs. Junior starting pitcher Brady Vincent (Auburn, Maine) retired the first two batters he faced, but a single from Peter Rubini started a rally for the Rams. John Lynch followed with an RBI triple and was then quickly singled home by Nicholas Kutcher. After a walk, Kutcher came in to score on a single from Aricin Griffin to make it a 3-0 game.
Hitting for himself, Vincent delivered an RBI single in the bottom half of the first to make it a 3-1 game, bringing home Matt Marquis (Monmouth, Maine), who had walked earlier in the inning.
Rubini delivered his second RBI knock in the top of the second to help Framingham quickly regain a three-run advantage.
Framingham opened up a 5-1 lead in the top of the fourth as Colin Johnson led off the inning with a triple to center field and was promptly brought in on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Massimo Mondi.
The Beavers fought back in the bottom of the fourth, scoring four runs to knot the game at five. The inning opened with Hayden Durrell (Madrid, Maine) walking, followed by Paul Vachon (Brookline, N.H.) being hit by a pitch. Sam Markowitz (Boothbay, Maine) dropped a bunt that was thrown away, allowing Durrell to score and make it a 5-2 game. Two batters later, junior outfielder Ike Wrigley (Farmington, Maine) smacked a two-run triple to make it a one-run game. Wrigley came in to score on a Jameson Bloch (Attleboro, Mass.) single to tie the game at five.
Griffin delivered a two-out RBI single in the top of the fifth, bringing home Lynch, who had doubled to lead off the inning, to give the Rams a 6-5 lead.
Framingham's offense tacked on two runs in the sixth and then four in the seventh to break the game open. Christian Cox delivered an RBI single, and Lynch followed with a two-run knock in the seventh to put the game away.
Lynch led the way for Framingham, going four-for-four with four RBIs and two runs scored. Rubini and Griffin each recorded two hits and two RBIs. Keith Ramsey was credited with the win, going 1 2/3 innings out of the bullpen, giving up two hits and striking out one.
Farmington finished with six hits. Vincent recorded two of them, while Wrigley and Tyler Rosa (Morgan Hill, Calif.) each recorded extra-base hits.
Game Two
Farmington's offense was rolling early in game two, scoring five runs in the first two innings. Vincent stayed hot, doubling home Bloch, who drew a two-out walk, to give the Beavers an early lead. Vincent came around to score two batters later as Wrigley doubled to extend Farmington's lead to 2-0.
In the second, Vincent continued his strong performance at the plate, ripping a bases-clearing double to right-center field as the Beavers opened up a 5-0 lead.
Framingham got a run back in the bottom of the second on a one-out RBI single from Samuel Conrad, bringing home Kutcher, who opened the inning with a walk and then stole second base.
First-year starting pitcher Max Bryan (Walpole, Mass.) ran into trouble in the bottom of the second. Massimo Mondi singled to center to open the inning and was later brought home on Christian Cox's RBI double. After a walk put runners on the corners, Lynch continued his strong day at the plate, ripping a triple into the gap in right-center field to make it a one-run game. Kutcher followed with a single, and suddenly the game was tied at five.
Bryan settled down, recording a flyout and a strikeout for the first two outs of the inning. He then allowed an RBI single to Scott Paquette that gave the Rams the lead and chased him from the game. First-year Kaleb Hussey (Topsham, Maine) took over on the mound and struggled to get the third out. A run scored on a passed ball, followed by a balk, and then RBI hits from Mondi and Lynch capped the Rams' 10-run inning, making it 11-5.
Farmington chipped into the deficit in the top of the fifth when Bloch delivered an RBI double to score Durrell. Rosa attempted to score on the play but was thrown out at the plate for the third out of the inning.
Framingham got the run back in the bottom half of the inning on a Mondi sacrifice fly.
Farmington scored once in the seventh as Ben Mello (Gloucester, Mass.) singled and later came around to score on a balk, making it 12-7.
Farmington recorded 10 hits, with Vincent, Durrell, and Wrigley each tallying two. Vincent drove in four runs for the Beavers. Bryan was charged with the loss, giving up seven runs (five earned) in 2 2/3 innings of work.
The Rams finished with 12 hits as Cox went 3-for-4 with two runs scored, Lynch was 2-for-4 with three RBIs, and Mondi went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBIs.
UP NEXT
The Beavers will have a quick turnaround tomorrow as they play two games. Game one is set for 9:00 AM against Wisconsin-Eau Claire, followed by game two at 12:30 PM against St. Joseph's University Brooklyn.
