UMass Boston Shuts Downs #16 Southern Maine 7-1

BOSTON -- University of Massachusetts Boston freshman right-hander Fernando Burgos (Hyde Park, Mass./John D. O'Bryant) held the University of Southern Maine to just two hits and two walks over eight innings and junior Dave Murphy (Plymouth, Mass.) hit two home runs as the Beacons defeated the Huskies 7-1 in a Little East Conference game Tuesday afternoon at Monan Park.

            The win was the second straight, and fifth in the last six games, for the Beacons who improved to 15-12 overall and 3-4 in the conference.  The 16th-ranked Huskies had their two-game winning streak snapped and fell to 18-7 overall and 5-2 in league play.

            Burgos, 3-1 on the season, silenced the Huskies bats allowing only a double and a single to
senior Nick DiBiase (Portland, Maine/Deering) and two walks to sophomore Brandon Martins (Manorville, N.Y.).  Burgos, who struck out four in his eight-inning stint, retired the first nine batters he faced.  Freshman Manny Garcia (Boston, Mass./Madison Park) retired the side in order in the ninth.

            Murphy gave Burgos all the runs he would need in the first inning.  Sophomore Lionel Danielson (St. Croix, Virgin Islands) drew a leadoff walk, and after a foul out, Murphy launched his first home run of the season off USM rookie right-handed pitcher Jack Donnelly (Walpole, Mass.) to give the home side a 2-0 lead.

            UMB added two runs in the second inning on RBI singles by sophomore Sal Frosceno (Derby, Conn.) and sophomore Josh Lopez (New Haven, Conn.), and Murphy led off the Beacon third with his second home run to make it 5-0.

            DiBiase got the Huskies on the board in the fourth when he led off the frame with a double, moved to third on a one-out balk by Burgos and scored on a two-out passed ball.

            The Beacons picked up a single run in their half of the fourth on Danielson's RBI double.  Danielson drove in the final run with a sacrifice fly that scored Lopez in the seventh.  Lopez led off the seventh with a double and moved to third on a wild pitch before Danielson's fly ball.

            Donnelly suffered his first collegiate loss allowing six runs in 3 1/3 innings.  He gave up six hits and one walk while fanning three.  Senior Ryan Browner (Georgetown, Mass.) had a strong relief outing allowing one run on two hits without a walk and three strikeouts.  Freshman Tanner Laberge (Windham, Maine) pitched one scoreless inning.

            Murphy finished the day 2-for-3 with three RBI, and Lopez was 2-for-3 with a double and single.