Magnussen drives in four runs to fuel Skyhawks offense

Freshman Armand Rugel improved to 3-0 on the season with tonight's win over UMass Lowell.

LOWELL, Mass. (May 2, 2012) – Stonehill College, ranked sixth overall in the latest NCBWA East Regional Poll, posted a 10-6 come from behind victory over UMass Lowell on Wednesday night in Northeast-10 Conference (NE-10) Northeast Division action at LeLacheur Park.

Freshman Armand Rugel (Middletown, R.I./Middletown) earned the win in relief throwing three shutout innings, yielding three hits, no walks and three strikeouts. Classmate Jim Duff (Garden City, N.Y./Garden City) was handed the no-decision on four-and-one-thirds innings pitched, ten hits, five runs (all earned), zero walks and three punchouts. Sophomore Zach Soulier (Milford, Conn./Jonathan Law) gave up one run (earned) over one-and-two-thirds innings pitched, three hits, one walk and one strikeout.

Junior Taylor Robinson (Haverhill, MA) suffered the loss on six-and-one-thirds innings, eight hits, seven runs (five earned), two walks and two strikeouts.

After UMass Lowell took a 2-0 lead through the first two innings of play, Stonehill responded with one run in the third and another in the fourth to even the score at 2-2. Freshman Billy Horobin (Wallingford, Conn./Mark T. Sheehan) reached on a fielder's choice and stole second base before scoring on a Michael Zeiner (Simsbury, Conn./Simsbury) single and a throwing error by the River Hawks shortstop in the third. Senior Michael Magnussen (Carver, Mass./Coyle & Cassidy) tied up the contest with a RBI double down the left field line scoring fellow classmate Steven Popp (Unionville, Conn./Farmington) who reached on an error with one out in the fourth.

In the fifth, the Skyhawks took a 5-2 advantage as Michael White (Lisbon, N.H./Lisbon Regional) notched a run-producing single up the middle, scored on a fielding error and Popp knocked in a run with a sacrifice fly to left field.

Senior Michael Magnussen plated four runs on the night for Stonehill.

UMass Lowell matched Stonehill in the bottom half with a two-run double from James Katsiroubas (Milton, MA) and a sacrifice fly to left field off the bat of Jimmy Ricoy (Lowell, Mass.).

The River Hawks took a 6-5 lead in the sixth inning as freshman Jacob O'Keefe (Wellington, Fla.) plated Pat Devlin (Tewksbury, Mass.) with a single to right field. Devlin ripped a one-out single up the middle and stole second base to set up the scoring.

Stonehill rallied for two runs in the seventh inning and never looked back. Sophomore Billy Karalis (Pawtucket, R.I./Bishop Feehan) drove in a pair of runs with a double down the left field line and Magnussen sealed the victory for the Skyhawks with a bases clearing double to left field in the ninth.

Magnussen finished the contest with a 2-for-5 performance and four runs batted in while White went 3-for-5 with three runs scored. Sophomore Dan Fratus (Plymouth, Mass./Plymouth North) was 3-for-4 with three runs scored out of the cleanup spot.

Stonehill (27-18, 15-11 NE-10, 10-8 Northeast Division) hosts Merrimack College for a NE-10 Conference Northeast Division doubleheader with game one scheduled for noon on Saturday, May 5. Prior to game one, Stonehill's eight seniors will be recognized for their contributions towards the program. UMass Lowell (25-18-1, 13-12-1 NE-10, 8-10 Northeast Division) hosts Dominican College for a non-conference matchup on Friday, May 4 at 5 p.m.