Defending National Champion Wisconsin-Whitewater Comes from behind to Defeat Baseball 12-11

Winter Haven, Fla. – The Framingham State University baseball team led 10-2 in the fifth inning, but could not hold off a late inning comeback by the defending Division III National Champion Wisconsin Whitewater as the Rams were defeated 12-11 at the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational.

With the loss, the Rams are now 3-5 on the year, while Whitewater is now 1-0.

Sophomore Mike Andrews (Stoneham, Mass.) allowed two runs in the first inning and then kept Wisconsin off the board until the sixth inning as he team plated 10 runs.  Andrews went five and a third allowing seven runs, five earned, on six hits with two walks and four strikeouts.

The Rams took a 3-2 lead in the top of the second inning.  Senior Billy Derosier (Shrewsbury, Mass.) belted a solo homerun to left center and classmate Matt Gerard delivered a two RBI single.

Framingham State inflated the lead to 10-2 with seven runs in their half of the fifth inning.  Derosier once again drove in a run with a double to right and RJ Gray (Lowell, Mass.) followed with an RBI single through the left side.  Senior Kevin Driscoll (Chelmsford, Mass.) walked with the bases loaded forcing in Deroiser from third and Gerard reached on an error allowing Gray to cross the plate with an unearned run.  Senior Mark Mainini (Hull, Mass.) capped off the scoring in the inning with a two RBU double to left.

Wisconsin cut into the lead with five in the sixth and two in the seventh to pull within one, 10-9, but the Rams tacked one more on in the top of the eighth on an RBI single from Jake Wardwell (Hudson, Mass.) to extend the lead back to two.

Wisconsin walked off with the victory in the bottom of the ninth off reliever Kevin Connelly (Bolton, Mass.).  Dane Burman doubled in a pair of runs and Kyle Haen reached on a fielder's choice that allowed Alex Hallenbeck to score from third with the winning run.

Connelly suffered the loss allowing three runs, all earned, on three hits with a walk.  Senior Zack Kirby (Rochester, Mass.) tossed an inning of scoreless relief.

The Rams are back in action tomorrow morning with a pair of games against Sewanee beginning at 9:30 am.