BALTIMORE—The UMBC baseball extended its mid-week streak to four, defeating local rival Towson, 13-7, Tuesday evening at Baseball Factory Field. With the win, the Retrievers improved to 8-33, while the Tigers fell to 25-22-1.
The Retrievers struck for six in the bottom of the first, capped by a two-run double by junior Brian Klukowicz (Clifton, N.J./St. Peter's Prep). UMBC added two in the next two innings, with senior Rick Phillips (Gaithersburg, Md./Gaithersburg) and freshman Rob McCabe (Philadelphia, Pa./St. Joseph's) each hitting RBI doubles.
Freshmen D.J. Ream (Columbia, Pa./Hempfield) and Bryan Perlmutter (Hillsdale, N.J./Pascack Valley) along with Phillips and Klukowicz each had three hits.
Klukowicz added a two-run double in the eighth finish the day with a career-high five runs driven in.
Junior Sean Swetnam (Greenbelt, Md./Eleanor Roosevelt/George Mason) started the game, going four innings with four runs allowed. Fellow junior Luke DiBlasi (Pleasant Valley, N.Y./Arlington) (2-3) pitched the next four innings, allowing just one unearned run.
Towson starter Mike Volpe (1-3) took the loss after allowing eight runs (six earned) in an inning and a third.
Before the game, members of the League of Dreams Foundation, a non-profit organization which provides opportunities for children and adults, regardless of their physical or mental abilities, the opportunity to experience the game of baseball in Maryland, joined the Retrievers and Tigers on the field for a special ceremony to announce a partnership with Perfect Pitch, a non-profit organization run by UMBC junior Michael Pesci. Perfect Pitch has raised more than $200,000 since 2002 benefitting physically and mentally handicapped children in New Jersey and the New York area.
For more information, check out Perfect Pitch's website at www.perfectpitchhrd.com and League of Dreams' page at www.leagueofdreams.org.
The Retrievers return to action this weekend when they travel to Albany for a four-game America East series.
