Albany, N.Y. – The UMBC baseball team swept a doubleheader from America East rival UAlbany, 10-8 and 14-7, on Friday afternoon at Varsity Field. 
 
UMBC (9-9, 2-3 America East) was victorious in come-from-behind fashion as the visitors scored seven runs with two outs in their final at bat to stun the Great Danes (3-11-1, 0-2 America East)  in the opener.  Graduate student right fielder Ian Diaz laced a two-run double to give the Retrievers a 6-5 lead in the top of the seventh and UMBC added four more insurance runs in the frame.
 
Freshman sensation Leewood Molessa put on a show in the nightcap as the first baseman belted three homers and finished 3-for-6 with five RBI in the victory. The Retrievers scored four runs in the top of the seventh to break a 4-4 deadlock and went on to the win. UMBC recorded a season-high 14 runs and 18 hits.
 
How It Happened (Game 1) (Highlights)
- UMBC grabbed a 2-0 lead after scoring a pair of runs in the top of the second inning. Shortstop Dawson Baracani scored second baseman Anthony Swenda (lead-off double) with a single to center and designated hitter Michael Cilio (walked) scored on a wild pitch.
- The Retrievers pushed the lead to 3-0 in the top of the third after catcher Tony Krueger scored third baseman Matt Ryan (HBP) with an RBI double to left field.
- The hosts came back in the bottom of the frame as Will Binder stroked a 3-run double off UMBC starter Luke Johnson.
- The Great Danes took their first lead in the fifth as Binder struck again with an RBI single.
- UAlbany added an unearned tally in the sixth to grab a 5-3 advantage.
- The Retrievers rallied to score seven runs with two outs in the seventh to surge ahead, 10-5. UMBC racked up six hits and four walks against reliever Dylan Banner, who fell to 0-3. Easley cut the deficit to 5-4 with an RBI infield single and then Diaz ripped the clutch, go-ahead double to score Swenda (singled) and Easley. Molessa then followed with an RBI single to center, Ryan singled through the right side, catcher Derek Paris recorded an RBI single, and pinch hitter Luke Trythall drew an RBI walk.
 
Notes
- Senior center fielder Justin Taylor went 2-for-3 and walked twice
- Swenda went 2-for-4 and drove in a run.
- Senior right-hander Connor Kelly, who yielded three earned runs on four hits over 2.0 innings, recorded his first win of the season in relief.
- Luke Johnson, who fanned seven batters, started and allowed four earned runs on three hits and six walks over five innings.
 
How It Happened (Game 2) Highlights
- UAlbany took a 1-0 lead as Carson Dunkel homered off right-handed starter Nick Remy to lead off the bottom of the first.
- The Retrievers answered with three runs on three hits and an error in the top of the second. Trythall smoked an RBI double to right-center to score Ryan (HBP) and Swenda followed with an RBI double to the same location. UMBC scored an unearned run after Baracani reached on an error to score Swenda.
- The Great Danes evened the game at 3-3 as they got an RBI sacrifice fly by Devan Kruzinski and a bases loaded walk from Will Feill.
- Molessa put UMBC ahead, 4-3, as he ripped a line drive homer over the left field fence.
- Once again, the hosts knotted the score in the bottom of the third after Owen Silliman tripled with two outs and then scored on a wild pitch.
- The Retrievers exploded for four runs on five hits in the top of the seventh to grab an 8-4 advantage. Molessa hit a screamer just over the right-center field fence to lead off the frame. Trythall then launched a 3-run blast to right to score catcher Derek Paris (singled) and Ryan (doubled).
- UAlbany got one back in the bottom of the eighth on a fielder's choice RBI by Chris Fisher but UMBC put the game out of reach with six runs in the top of the ninth to secure a 14-5 lead. Easley recorded an RBI double, Taylor delivered an RBI single, and Molessa drilled his third dinger of the game, a three-run shot to left.
 
Notes
- Junior lefty Joe Pucek improved to 1-1 as he allowed two earned runs over four innings of relief. Pucek whiffed six batters and walked only one batter.
- Remy, who fanned seven batters, allowed four earned runs over his five innings of work.
- Molessa finished 3-for-6 with three homers and five RBI. He's batting .355 with seven homers and 30 RBI in just 18 games.
- Swenda went a season-best 4-for-5 and drove in a pair while Ryan went 3-for-4 and scored three times.
- Trythall finished 2-for-4 with a career-high four RBI.
 
Up Next
UMBC will complete the series with UAlbany on Sunday at noon and will take on Navy at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on Wednesday at 6:00 p.m.