BUZZARDS BAY, Mass. — A four-run, five-hit explosion in the top of the seventh inning Saturday by Oswego State launched the Lakers to an 11-4 victory over the University of Massachusetts Boston, handing the top seeded Beacons their first loss in school history in Division III New England Regional baseball action. The second-seeded Lakers advance to face an opponent to be determined in the championship round at 4 PM on Sunday at Whitehouse Field in Harwich. The Beacons, ranked fifth in the nation, will face either Keystone College or Ramopo College in the consolation round at noon.

The Lakers opened the scoring in the top of the fifth frame Saturday afternoon at Commodore Hendy Field on the campus of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy with a pair of runs. They fell behind in the bottom of the inning when the Beacons posted three runs, two crossing the plate on a base hit by senior Dave Murphy (Plymouth, Mass.). Oswego then opened the game up in the top of the seventh, when with two outs they strung together five hits to take a 6-3 lead.

Freshman Ryan Enos (Oriskany, N.Y.) and junior Brandon Nicholson (Orchard Park, N.Y.) got things cooking with back-to-back base hits. Both runners scored on a double off the bat of junior Mike Dellicarri (Congers, N.Y.). Senior John Barnes (Greenwich, N.Y.) then doubled scoring Dellicarri for a 5-3 lead. Senior Myles Kutscher (Glen Cove, N.Y.) singled scoring Barnes as the Lakers pulled ahead by three.

A Murphy home run in the bottom of the seventh made the score 6-4, but the Lakers kept the heat turned on high as they plated a pair of runs in the eighth, backed by a home run off the bat of senior Zach Whelan (Cortland, N.Y.). Another three runs in the ninth, highlighted by a Dellicarri homer put the game in the win column for Oswego.

Junior Brian Nolan (Syracuse, N.Y.) improved his record to 7-2 picking up the win in six innings of work. Nolan allowed three runs on eight hits, while striking out five.  Senior Mike Abrams (Bellmore, N.Y.) finished the final three frames for the Lakers, earning his first save of the season.

Sophomore Joey Rogers (Dighton, Mass.) got the start, leading a list of five pitchers for the Beacons. Rogers went four and two-thirds innings surrendering two runs on one hit. He stuck out five and walked five. Junior Bobby Tramondozzi (Peabody, Mass.) worked the sixth and seventh innings for the Beacons allowing four runs on five hits and was tagged with the loss.

Laker left fielder Mike Dellicarri led Oswego at the plate finishing the afternoon 2-for-4 with a walk, he had a home run and a double, knocked in a three runs and scored a pair. Murphy finished 2-for-4 with a walk for UMass Boston. He had a home run and finished with three RBI. Senior Sal Frosceno (Derby, Conn.) ended the day 4-for-3 for the Beacons, with a double and a run scored.

Day three of the New England Regional concludes with Ramopo College and Keystone College, while two games are scheduled for tomorrow, including the championship game at 3:30 p.m. All are welcome to Whitehouse Field, where you can watch both games for only five dollars.

Dan Crowley, Sports Information Associate