BALTIMORE, MD. – The UMBC baseball team (1-6) scored five runs in the bottom of the eighth inning, then held off a furious rally to defeat Army, 10-8, Sunday afternoon at the Baseball Factory Field to give head coach Bob Mumma his first win as the head man.

Mumma, who was an assistant at his alma mater for the past 15 season, was named the head coach last June, replacing his mentorJohn Jancuska.

"I've been here a long time and I'm excited for myself, but just as much for my team," said coach Mumma.  "They've been working hard and have had some tough losses, but I'm thrilled with [the win] and obviously we're hoping for a whole lot more… I'll save this ball for a long time."

The Retrievers did not make it easy for their first year coach, though.   They scored eight runs in the bottom of the eighth, to take a seven-run lead, 10-3, and looking at a comfortable win.  Army battled back though, scoring five runs and forcing three pitching changes in the top of the ninth, before senior Josh Dick (Winchester, Va./James Wood) got Harold Earls to ground out to first for the final out.

Dick earned his first save of the year while freshman Gavin Gibbons (Vienna, Va./James Madison HS) picked up his first career win.  Gibbons (1-0) completed two innings of work, yielding just one run, and striking out three batters.

Freshmen Ian Glassman (Basking Ridge, N.J./Rutgers Prep) and Anthony Gatto (Hauppauge, N.Y./Smithtown West) combined to go 5-for-10 on Sunday against the Black Knights, scoring a total of four runs.

Seniors Max Himmelstein (Mooretown, N.J./Moorestown) and Curtis Schickner (East Windsor, N.J./Lawrenceville Prep) were equally impressive, also combining for five hits, while driving in three runs and scoring two. 

After a scoreless two and a half innings, UMBC struck first when sophomore Rob McCabe(Philadelphia, Pa./St. Joseph's Prep) doubled home Gatto, who had been hit by pitch.

Army came right back however, taking the lead, 2-1, with two runs in the top of the fourth.

UMBC took the lead back quickly though, plating three runs in the fifth.  Glassman scored the tying run after junior Jason Allinder (Snow Hill, Md./Snow Hill/Chesapeake CC) walked, and the Retrievers took the lead as the next batter, Schickner walked as well, forcing Gatto home. 

Freshman Jake Barnes (Annandale, Va./Annandale) came up next and hit the ball to short.  Army was only able to get a force at second, but junior Tom Gilchrist (Olney, Md./Sherwood/Chesapeake CC) scored for UMBC.

Each team scored once in the seventh, preserving the Retrievers' two-run lead, 5-3.

Himmelstein got things going for UMBC in the bottom of the eighth, leading off with his third homerun of the season.  The Retrievers would go on to bat around in the inning, sending a total of eleven hitters to the plate while scoring five times to take a commanding, 10-3, lead.

The visitors would not go quietly, producing some tense moments in the top of the ninth.  JT Watkins had the big blow, hitting a one out double, driving in two runs to cut the lead to two, 10-8. With runners on second and third though, senior Matt Siggins (Marriottsville, Md./Chapelgate/Frederick CC) got Alex Jensen to pop out to short before Dick picked up the final out.

The Retrievers return to the diamond on Wednesday when they travel around the beltway to take on local rival Towson.  First pitch between the Retrievers and Tigers is set for 2 p.m.

Dawg Bites

-           Freshman Anthony Gatto has now hit successfully in four of five games played this season

-          16 of the Retrievers' 56 hits (28.6%) this season have gone for extra bases (10-2B, 1-3B, 5-HR)