BALTIMORE, Md. – UMBC built a five run lead over the first five innings, but the Patriots rallied late to tie it in the top of the ninth before the Retrievers got a walkoff single in the home half of the ninth to escape with an 11-10 win on Wednesday at Alumni Field.
The win improved UMBC to 9-18, while the Patriots dropped to 13-25. Kevin Ladner (2-1) picked up the win, while Mark Maksimow (3-2) took the loss.
Quickly putting a run on the board in the first, Tommy Vitaletti led off with a triple to deep left and scored on a sac fly by Derek Evans to put the Patriots up, 1-0.
UMBC grabbed the lead in the home half of the second. Tom Gilchrist walked, advanced to third on a single by Mark Esposito and scored on a wild pitch to tie the game at 1-1. Esposito then advanced all the way to third on two wild pitches before coming home on a single down the right field line from Rob McCabe to give the home team a 2-1 advantage.
Tacking on three more runs in the bottom of the fourth, Vince Corbi delivered a bases loaded two-RBI single up the middle before scoring two batters later on a throwing error by Jordan Hill as he went for an out at first, extending the lead to 5-1.
The Retrievers added a run in the fifth to push the lead to 6-1, but Mason responded in the top of the sixth. Blaise Fernandez and Tucker Tobin led off with back-to-back doubles to bring in a run, 6-2. UMBC starter Riley Stephenson then threw eight consecutive balls to load the bases for Josh Leemhuis, who lined a single through the right side to bring in one run, and an error by the UMBC right fielder on the same play allowed another run to cross home and pull the Patriots closer, 6-4.
UMBC got all those runs back and more in the home half of the inning, registering four runs on six hits to put the lead at six runs, 10-4.
Batting around in the top of the seventh, the Patriots crept closer to the Retriever lead, 10-9. With two runners in scoring position, Tobin registered an infield single to bring in one run, and Anthony Montefusco followed with a two-RBI single to left to account for three runs. Duncan Satherlie then walked and Patrick Esposito reached on a fielder's choice and fielding error by the second baseman to load the bases for Leemhuis, who once again delivered with a two-RBI double lined through the left side to get the Patriots to within a run, 10-9.
Down to its last out in the top of the ninth Leemhuis came through in the clutch, doubling to center and scoring on a bloop single to left by Hill to tie the game at 10-10.
UMBC responded with its own two-out hitting in the bottom of the ninth. Mark Maksimow came on to pitch for the Patriots and gave up a leadoff single to Jake Barnes, but was able to set down his next two batters faced before Gilchrist lined a shot up the middle to bring Barnes home and secure the nonconference win.
Leemhuis went 3-for-5 with three RBI's, Tobin was 2-for-5 with two RBI's and Hill finished 2-for-5 with an RBI.
McCabe led the Retriever offense with a 5-for-6 showing at the plate, and Gilchrist was 3-for-5 with two RBI's.
The Patriots return to action this weekend, hosting UNCW in its final CAA home series of the season.
