The baseball team returned to their home field Tuesday night with a 13-4 loss against Framingham State University Rams.
Junior Johnny Maffei completed only 3.2 innings against the Rams, giving up ten hits and eight runs. The Lions utilized senior relief pitcher Sam Knox, junior Tripp Rams, and sophomore Rory Tettemer. Knox completed 4.1 innings, striking out seven batters, but giving up three runs off of four hits. Rams and Tettemer pitched 0.1 and 0.2 innings respectively. Rams allowed two runs.
Framingham’s offense achieved early success with five runs off of five hits in the first inning. The first batter reached base off an error by freshman second baseman Jake Hatch. Maffei allowed his first hit with the second at-bat with a hit into the right field. The following three plays resulted in three earned runs for the Rams. The Lions recorded two outs with a flyball and strikeout by Maffei from the next two batters. The Rams scored twice before the Lions closed the inning with the final out.
In the bottom of the first inning, the Lions suffered two outs from their first two batters. Junior infielder Ryan McCahan singled to right field for the Lions’ first hit. On a fielder’s choice, sophomore outfielder Quinton Copeland reached first, but McCahan tagged out at second to end the inning.
The second inning includes three and outs from both teams. Maffei struck out two batters, and a ground ball completed the Rams’ inning. The Lions’ outs consisted of fly balls and ground outs.
In the third inning, the Rams started with two runs and a runner left on base for the Rams off of three hits. Hatch started the Lions’ inning with a walk. Sophomore outfielder John Cohen grounded to the pitcher but allowed Hatch to advance to second. Freshman infielder Thai Morgan singled to shortstop before tagged out at second. The inning concluded with a ground out to second base by junior utility player Andre Padovani.
The Rams scored again off Maffei before Knox relieved in the top of the fourth inning. The Lions’ offense failed to compete against the eight-run lead with three outs in three at-bats in the bottom of the inning.
Knox gave up two hits and a run in the top of the fifth inning. The Lions’ offense picked up with a single base hit by Freshman catcher Matt Nachamie. Hatch walked again, promoting Nachamie to second. Bases loaded after a single by Cohen, placing the Lions in position to score. Nachamie scored off a ground out to third, leaving Hatch and Cohen on base. A single hit by Padovani brought Hatch and Cohen in to score. Padovani ended the inning when caught stealing.
Two strikeouts by Knox and a foul ball to first base concluded the Rams’ sixth inning. The Lions’ first two batters struck out. Paladino hit an in-park homer to bring the Lions to four runs. Nachamie singled to shortstop before senior outfielder Cam Beattie flied out to the right field to conclude the inning.
In the top of the seventh inning, the Rams made lineup adjustments to their outfield with substitutions for their center and left fielders. Knox struck out two batters but gave up a walk, a hit, and a run. Cohen walked and then stole second, however, two outs before him and a ground out by Padovani prevented any scoring.
Knox allowed another run after walking, hitting a batter, and allowing a hit to load the bases for the Rams in the eighth inning. Sophomore outfielder Louie Davolio doubled to the left-field but could not score.
In the top of the ninth, Rams relieved Knox and faced three batters, hitting a batter, giving up a run, and walking a batter. Tettemer relieved Rams amongst other lineup adjustments in the middle of the inning. Off Ram’s’ mistakes, the Rams scored again before two outs closed the inning.
The Lions closed the game with a single hit into the center field by Beattie. Hatch reached base on a fielder’s choice, and Beattie tagged out at second. Morgan also reached base on a fielder’s choice, but Hatch tagged out at second to close the game.
