Four-Homer, Seven-Run Ninth Lifts 'Cats to Series-Tying Victory

Thursday, May 18

Amherst, Mass.

12:00 p.m.

Davidson College Athletics

25-23, 11-11

UMass

15-30, 8-14

Davidson

Massachusetts

Four-Homer, Seven-Run Ninth Lifts 'Cats to Series-Tying Victory

5/18/2017 7:56:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

DavidsonPhotos.com
Box Score (PDF) (Game 1) | Box Score (PDF) (Game 2)

AMHERST, Mass. – In a tale of two games, Davidson baseball suffered an agonizing 7-6 upset in Game 1 of their Thursday doubleheader with Massachusetts, but rallied in the top of the ninth in Game 2 to pull off a 7-5 comeback victory at Earl Lorden Field in Amherst.

Thanks to the split, the 'Cats sit at 26-23 and 12-11 in conference, while UMass enters Sunday with a 15-31, 8-15 ledger.

Davidson pounded out eight home runs during the two games, led by junior Cam Johnson, who blasted three. Senior Will Robertson, reigning National Player of the Week, went yard twice, and sophomores Eric Jones and Justin Lebek, and rookie Brett Centracchio each registered one.

Robertson led the offense with four hits on the day, while Johnson and classmate Alec Acosta tallied three.

GAME 1: UMass 7, Davidson 6
Things started off hot for the 'Cats, who scored in the first inning for the sixth straight game. Johnson and Robertson launched back-to-back jacks to give Davidson a 2-0 lead.

The Minutemen chipped away, scoring an unearned run in the second and then tying the game in the third off a sacrifice fly. They then took the lead in the fifth off a home run to right center.

Davidson plated the equalizer via another long ball, this time courtesy of Jones, before UMass scored four times in the bottom of the eighth to regain the lead and add insurance. The Minutemen capitalized off of two hits and two errors.

The Wildcats threatened in the final frame, coming within one. Centracchio pinch-hit and reached on a third strike wild pitch, and then came home courtesy of another Johnson blast. Acosta followed that by singling, where speedster senior Cam Marshall pinch-ran and advanced to third on Fortier's single. Marshall scored the 'Cats final run of the day, coming home after Jones reached via error.

The 'Cats had bases loaded before a deep fly ball was caught in left field to help the Minutemen secure the upset.

GAME 2: Davidson 7, UMass 5
Things looked stagnant in the nightcap, as the 'Cats collected just two hits and were held scoreless for the first eight frames.

Robertson got the 'Cats on the board with his second home run of the day, and what would become the first of four Davidson long balls in the frame. He has now hit six homeruns in his last four games and sits one game away from tying the school record with a 46-game reached base streak.

Acosta followed up with a single on a hard hit ball to the shortstop, and then moved to third on a Fortier double. After an RBI groundout from Jones scored Acosta, Lebek then belted the ball over right center, also bringing home Fortier, and coming within one of the Minutemen.

After nearly pulling off the comeback in Game 1, Davidson was determined. With two outs, Bazin took four straight balls to keep the threat alive, and then Centracchio blasted his third round-tripper of the season to not only tie the game, but put the 'Cats ahead. Johnson then went yard, again, for insurance, before senior closer Westin Whitmire was able to secure the save (his 10^th of the year).

Freshman southpaw ZJ Zabinski earned his first collegiate win after tossing two-thirds of an inning, using just three pitches.

UP NEXT
The 'Cats and Minutemen will conclude the series Friday, slated for a noon first pitch.