McMINNVILLE, Ore. – A five-run first inning propelled the visiting UMass Boston Beacons to a 10-3 victory over Linfield at Roy Helser Field on Thursday afternoon.
Elijah Maris led the Linfield offense with two hits and two RBIs while the 'Cats were held without an extra-base hit.
Jake Hoskins,
Braden Woods and
Matthew Lewis accounted for the other Linfield hits.
Casey Struckmeier (0-1) was tagged early giving up five runs in the first inning. In relief,
Wyatt Hurley pitched four and two-thirds innings and struck out a team-high four batters.
Dillion Ryan (1-0) earned the win in seven innings of work. Ryan struck out 10 Linfield batters while only giving up two earned runs. Six UMass Boston (5-4) batters finished with two hits. Mike Meagher finished with a game-high three RBIs while teammates Justin Gouve and Elliot Miles each finished with two.
Aidan Blake's RBI to right center field started the early offensive onslaught for the Beacons in the first inning. Miles, Meagher and Mariano Jimenez combined for four more RBIs as UMass Boston surged to an early lead. Maris scored Linfield's first run off a wild pitch in the bottom of the first inning.
The Wildcats and Beacons each scored one run in their halves of the third inning. UMass Boston scored four more runs across the fifth, sixth and eighth frames. Maris drove in
Marco Santulli for the game's final run off a single to right field.
ON DECK
The Wildcats (5-8) are back at Roy Helser Field for the final two games against UMass Boston with the first pitch of the matinee double header coming at 11:30 a.m.
