Baseball Swept by Buccaneers

BUZZARDS BAY, MA: The Rivier baseball team fell in both contests to Mass Maritime Academy (MMA) this afternoon in non-conference action.  

THE BASICS:

- Date: 3/26/23

- Score: MMA 9, Rivier 3. MMA 11, Rivier 5

- Records: MMA (9-5), Rivier (3-10)

HOW IT HAPPENED: Game One

-  In game one, all scoring was done by the fourth inning. The Bucs got on the board to start things off in the bottom of the first inning on a ground out RBI. The Raiders would knot it back up at 1-1 in the top of the second after Jacob Boudreau (Auburn, NH) singled to center field.

- Mass Maritime would push two more across in the bottom of the frame after a fielding error in left field plated two runs, giving the hosting squad a 3-1 lead. Rivier would bring it back within one run in the top of the third after a throwing error by MMA's pitched plated the team's second run.

- Brett Velzis would put the Bucs back up by two in the bottom half of the third on a solo shot to right center field. The Raiders would again bring it back within one at 4-3 in the top of the fourth on a groundout RBI by Dylan Aliberti (Sandown, NH).

- Mass Maritime would break the game open in the bottom of the fourth with a five-spot getting the final of 9-3. The inning consisted of four hits highlighted by an Aiden Henderson triple that plated one and a double by Michael Estrada that scored another run.

- Brodey Tinkham pitched in all seven innings earning himself the win (2-1). In the appearance, he allowed eight hits with two earned runs and seven strikeouts. Getting the Loss was Anthony Morro (Durham, CT) (0-3) after going 3.2 innings, allowing seven runs on seven hits with three strikeouts.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS: Top Performers

-  Velzis was 1-for-4 with 2 runs scored and 2 RBIs

-  John Tropea was also 1-for-4 with 2 RBIs and a run scored

-  Boudreau was 1-for-2 with an RBI

HOW IT HAPPENED: Game Two

-  Game two saw more run production from both teams. The Bucs put together runs in every inning but the sixth. Rivier opened this game in the first inning by plating one run on a Zachary White (Long Beach, CA) single through the right side. MMA would answer back with six unanswered runs through the first to the fifth inning. In that stretch, Mass Maritime would plate two in the first and third inning and one in the second and fourth inning.  

-  The Raiders would end the run in the top of the fifth on a Frank Gulezian (Derry, NH) two-run shot to right center field to put the score at 3-6. The Bucs would answer back in the bottom of the frame with another five-run inning. That inning was highlighted by a triple by Jake Houston that batted in two runs. He would also score on the play as well due to a throwing error by Riv.  

- Rivier wouldn't go down quietly as they added on two more runs in the top of the sixth to get the final 11-5. Thomas Kluntz (Enfield, CT) would start it off with an RBI single down the left field line. Aliberti would follow that up with a single to left field, plating the last run of the ball game.  

- Justin Brown would pick up his first win of the season after pitching 5.2 innings, giving up eight hits and five earned runs while striking out six. Michael Overland (Melrose, MA) was tagged with the loss (0-1) after going 4.1 innings with nine hits allowed, eight earned, with two strikeouts.  

INSIDE THE NUMBERS: Top Performers

-  Houston was 2-for-3 with 2 runs scored and 2 RBIs

-  Josh Kutcher was 1-for-3 with 2 RBIs

-  Gulezian was 1-for-4 with 2 RBIs and a home run.

UP NEXT:

- Rivier baseball will be back tomorrow when they travel down to Albertus Magnus in GNAC action at 12 pm.

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