NEW ORLEANS, La. – Freshman Ian Glassman (Basking Ridge, N.J./Rutgers Prep) lined a single to through the left side of the infield in the top of the ninth, driving in senior Mike Lafferty (Baltimore, Md./Mount St. Joseph's), to give UMBC (6-11) the lead and then senior Josh Dick (Winchester, Va./James Wood) sent Tulane down in order to preserve the Retrievers' 3-2 win, Saturday afternoon at Greer Field at Turchin Stadium.

The Retrievers have now won four of their past five games dating back to the team's three-game sweep of Coppin State last weekend. 

"This is one of the best wins this program has had in a long time," said head coach Bob Mumma.  "Credit the kids for going out there and believing and then executing well enough to earn the win."

Dick (2-0) pitched an inning and a third of scoreless ball to pick up the win after coming in to relieve sophomore Mac Gill (Bethesda, Md./Walter Johnson), who earned a no decision.  Gill threw 7.2 innings on Saturday, scattering seven hits and yielding only two runs. 

"Mac really pitched great today," coach Mumma said.  "He pitched down in the zone and he made a couple nice plays coming off the mound to get some big outs.  He was poised, confident, and overall put in an outstanding effort. "

David Napoli took the loss for the Green Wave despite giving up only two earned runs on seven hits over 8.1 innings of work.  The lefty also struck out eight batters.

Tulane once again struck first, plating one run in the bottom of the second on an infield single by Andrew Garner.  Gill then buckled down, giving up only two hits over the next four innings to allow the Retrievers to scrap back into the game. 

UMBC tied the game in the top of the fourth when senior Max Himmelstein (Moorestown, N.J./Moorestown) led off the inning with his team-leading fourth homerun of the year.  After a strikeout, junior Jason Allinder (Snow Hill, Md./Snow Hill/Chespeake CC) walked, and moved the second two batters later on a single to left by Glassman.  Freshman Jake Barnes (Annandale, Va./Annandale) made the rally count with an RBI single up the middle to drive in Allinder and give the Retrievers the lead, 2-1.

After both teams were held scoreless in the fifth and sixth, Tulane tied the game at two in the bottom of the seventh when Frank Florio, who had led off the inning with a triple, scampered home on a ground out by Garner.

The Green Wave threatened to take the lead in the eighth, loading the bases with just one out. Allinder then made a heads up play though, pouncing on a ball in the dirt and tossing to Gill covering home plate, who tagged Garrett Cannizarro for the second out.  Dick then entered the game and promptly forced a fielder's choice to end the inning and setup Glassman's heroic.

The Retrievers signaled their intent immediately in the ninth as senior Brian Klukowicz led off the inning with a single up the middle.  Lafferty entered as a pinch runner and advanced to second on a throwing error by the first baseman.  After a ground out for the second out, Glassman stepped up and lined his second hit of the day to left to drive in the game-winner and force a rubber game on Sunday.

Himmelstein, Glassman and Klukowicz each went 2-for-4 for UMBC while Nick Schneeberger led the Green Wave going 2-for-3 with a walk and an RBI.

UMBC and Tulane conclude their three-game series on Sunday with first pitch set for 12 p.m.

DAWG BITES

-           Himmelstein's homerun gives the Retrievers nine in 2012.  UMBC hit a total of seven homeruns in 47 games last season.

-          Klukowicz extended his team-leading hit streak to seven games with a single in the top of the first inning.  The senior is now batting .419 (13-for-31) this season.

-          The Retrievers played errorless baseball for the second game this season. 

-          Gill and Dick combined to give up only two runs, the fewest runs UMBC has given up in a single game this year.