Smithfield, R.I. --
Luke Johnson (Lewes, Del.) struck out 11 in seven innings, while
Dawson Baracani (Sammamish, Wash.) and
Anthony Swenda (Bridgeport, Pa.) each homered as the UMBC Baseball team edged host Bryant, 6-5, in an America East series opener on Friday afternoon.
How it happened:
- After a scoreless first two innings, Bryant took a 1-0 lead in the third after back-to-back one out doubles.
- Baracani would tie the game in the top of the fifth on his first homer as a Retriever
- The Bulldogs took the lead right back in the bottom half of the inning with back-to-back one out homers
- UMBC (15-15, 6-4 AE) would respond in a big way in the top of the sixth
- Luke Trythall (Poolesville, Md.) drew a leadoff walk and then moved to third on a Tony Krueger (Appleton, Wisc.) one out single.
- Trythall would then score on a wild pitch to cut the deficit to 3-2, followed by Swenda blasting a two-run shot to put the Retrievers up 4-3
- Christian Easley (Collinsville, Va.) walked and Baracani immediately singled to put two on again.Â
- Ian Diaz (Philadelphia, Pa.) worked a two out walk and Easley stole third to put runners at the corners for Justin Taylor (Reston, Va.), who drove in Easley with a single to make it 5-3
- Leewood Molessa (Pullman, W.Va.) then singled to drive in Diaz for his league-best 45th RBI of the season
- Johnson would wrap up his day by striking out the final five batters he faced, as UMBC took a 6-3 lead into the eighth.
- Ben Craig (Keezletown, Va.) walked the first batter of the eighth, but got a double play.
- After a hit-by-pitch, Connor Kelly (Cumberland, Md.) came in and got the final out of the inning via strikeout to strand the runner
- Kelly got the first two batters of the ninth out, but a walk and a two-runner homer cut the Retriever lead to 6-5.
- After a double and an intentional walk, Kelly got a ground out to second to end the game and pick up his first-career save.
Johnson walked just one batter and allowed six hits in his seven innings of work. Baracani went 3-for-4, while Krueger was the only other Retriever with a multi-hit game, going 2-for-5.
Due to anticipated weather, game two of the series on Saturday has been moved up an hour to noon.
