Kawiecki Strikes Out Eight, But Golden Bears Fall to UMass Boston, 5-1

Loparco & Morin record two hits each for Western New England

BOSTON, Mass. (March 30, 2017) – Despite a strong effort from junior right-handed pitcher Jake Kawiecki (Burlington, Conn.), the Western New England University baseball team fell to the University of Massachusetts Boston, 5-1, in non-conference action on Thursday evening at Monan Park.

Top Performers                                                                                                          
• Making his second start of the season, Kawiecki struck out a career-high eight batters and surrendered just two runs (one earned) on four hits over six innings of work. The junior retired the side in order in four of his six frames, but took the loss (0-1).
• Sophomore shortstop Alex Loparco (Riverside, Conn.) and senior first baseman Daniel Morin (Salem, N.H.) each posted 2-for-4 efforts at the plate.

• Sophomore Kyle Boudrias (Medford, Mass.) and freshman Ryan McCormick (Cumberland, R.I.) led the Beacons, recording one hit, one walk and one RBI each.

Game Review
• UMass Boston put together a two-out rally in the fourth inning to open up a 2-0 lead. Senior Anthony Searles (Shelton, Conn.) reached on a bunt single with two down in the frame, before advancing to second on a wild pitch and coming in to score on an RBI single by McCormick. The Beacons capitalized on a Western New England error to add another run later in the inning.
• The Golden Bears got a run back in the top of the fifth, however, as sophomore Joe Cassella (Wallingford, Conn.) worked a one-out walk and eventually crossed the plate with the help of a UMass Boston error. Western New England was unable to generate any offense after that point, stranding a pair of runners on base in the seventh.
• The Beacons tacked on three insurance runs in the eighth despite recording just one hit in the inning.

Notes
• Western New England outhit UMass Boston 6-5.
• The Golden Bears stranded nine runners on base over the course of the contest.
• Through two starts this season, Kawiecki has recorded 13 strikeouts in 12 innings.

Up Next
Western New England (8-6) is scheduled to host Gordon College in a Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) doubleheader on Saturday afternoon, while UMass Boston (8-4) opens Little East Conference play on Sunday at UMass Dartmouth.