Fransoso Finishes Just Shy of Cycle, but Maine Falls at UMass 11-5

AMHERST, Mass. – Michael Fransoso (Portsmouth, N.H.) went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and two RBI, however, the Univeresity of Maine baseball team fell to UMass 11-5 on Wednsday afternoon in Amherst, Mass. Fransoso finished the day a single shy of the cycle. The Black Bears fall to 21-17 on the season, while UMass improves to 15-14 on the campaign. 

Maine opened the scoring in the top of the first inning. Fransoso led off the game with a triple and scored when Colin Gay (Franklin, Mass.) grounded out. For Fransoso, it was his third triple of the season. 

UMass took the lead with three runs in the bottom of the third inning. Maine pitching walked the bases loaded. Tom Conley singled to center field with them loaded, driving home Ryan Cusick and Kyle Adie. Anthony scored the third run of the inning when a teammate hit into a double play. 

Maine knotted the score at 3-3 in the top of the fourth inning. Fran Whitten (Westbrough, Mass.) singled to center field. Justin Leisenheimer (Middle Village, N.Y.) followed with a triple that scored Whitten. Leisenheimer scored when Sam Balzano (Portland, Maine) grounded out. 

The Minutemen scored five runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Cusick led off the inning with a double, while Adie followed with a single driving him home. Adie scored when Conley singled to right field. Nick Sanford drew a bases loaded walk driving in Conley. Alex Tuneski, who walked, scored on a wild pitch. Nik Campero singled and scored when Rich Graef singled. 

Adie singled and scored when Tuneski singled in the bottom of the sixth as the Minutemen extended their lead to 9-3. 

Maine added two runs in the top of the seventh inning. Balzano led off the inning with a single up the middle and Fransoso followed with his second home run of the season. 

UMass got a run back in the bottom of the frame. Dylan Begin singled and scored when Graef singled through the left side. UMass added a run in the bottom of the eighth inning when Tuneski homered to right field to make it an 11-5 final. 

Jonathan Balentina (Willemstad, Curacao) went 2.1 innings on the mound for the Black Bears. He allowed three runs on three hits. He was replaced by Whitten who went two innings and also allowed three runs on three hits. He picks up the loss and falls to 2-2 on the season. Jeffrey Gibbs (Toronto, Ontario) went 0.2 innings and allowed two runs on two hits. He was replaced by Eric White (Brewer, Maine) who went one inning and allowed one run on two hits. Stephen Perakslis (Abington, Mass.) pitched the seventh for the Black Bears. He allowed one run on three hits. Mike Connolly (Middleborough, Mass.) pitched the eighth inning and allowed one run on one hit. 

Conor LeBlanc got the start for UMass and went 6.1 innings. He allowed five runs on nine hits. He improves to 4-0 on the season. He was replaced by Andrew Grant who went 1.1 inning and scattered a pair of hits. Andrew Plunkett faced the lone batter that he retired. Leif Sorenson pitched a scoreless ninth inning. 

Maine returns to action on Saturday, April 28 when it hosts Albany for a doubleheader starting at 1 PM.