Dover, DE – Junior right-hander
Luke Johnson allowed just one run on two hits over six innings to lead the UMBC baseball team (3-3) to a 6-4 victory against the Saint Peter's Peacocks (0-10) in the first of their two games at Delaware State on Sunday afternoon.
Johnson (2-0), a 2022 First Team America East All-Conference selection, fanned four batters and allowed three walks over his 89-pitch outing.
Sophomore third baseman
Matt Ryan led the offense with a 3-for-4 performance and drove in a pair of runs. Freshman designated hitter
Leewood Molessa and junior first baseman
Luke Trythall both added a couple of hits while right fielder
Ian Diaz walked twice and scored a pair of runs.
Freshman lefty
Ben Craig notched his first career save after recording a pair of outs in the ninth inning.
How It Happened
-UMBC did most of their damage in the opening inning as they pushed across four runs on four hits. Junior second baseman
Anthony Swenda was plunked by Peacocks' starter Christian Coombes with the bases loaded to open the scoring. Ryan then delivered a two-run single through the left side to score Molessa (singled) and center fielder
Justin Taylor (walked). Trythall produced the final run of the frame when he delivered a two-out single up the middle to plate Swenda.
-Saint Peter's got a run back in the bottom of the first as Johnathan Behm recorded a fielder's choice RBI to plate Nick Markantonato (hit by pitch).
- The Retrievers upped their lead to 5-1 in the top of the third. Ryan smoked a lead-off triple to right center and then scored on a single to center by freshmen catcher
Derek Paris.
- UMBC added their final run in the top of the fourth as Diaz walked to open the inning and then scored on a wild pitch with one out.
-The Peacocks got three runs without the benefit of a hit in the bottom of the ninth to make things interesting. UMBC's relievers walked three batters and hit two more but Craig was able to get a fly ball out and end the game with an out at third base on a fielder's choice play.
Up Next
UMBC takes on host Delaware State on Sunday afternoon.
