TOWSON, Md. ? Sophomore lefthander Vinny Lally and two relief pitchers combined to limit the Tigers to six hits as Yale University (3-4) handed the Tigers (10-8) an 8-2 loss in the second game of their three-game series at John B. Schuerholz Park on Tuesday afternoon. The Bulldogs' win evened the three-game series at one victory each. Towson and Yale will play the series finale at Schuerholz Park on Wednesday afternoon.
After the Tigers, who had won eight of their last nine games, exploded for 17 hits in a 13-6 in the series opener on Monday, Lally combined with junior righthander Robert Gruber and freshman righthander Eric Shultz on a six-hitter, holding the Tigers to three doubles and three singles.
Lally held Towson to two runs on four hits through the first five innings before Gruber and Shultz shut out the Tigers on two hits the rest of the way.
Freshman righthander Tyler Austin worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the top of the second inning before the Tigers took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. Senior first baseman Matt Collins opened the inning with a double off the rightfield fence. He moved to third base when senior designated hitter Jason Stifler grounded out to first base. On the next pitch, sophomore second baseman Chris Wychock laid down a perfect bunt up the first base line as Collins scored. Wychock beat out the bunt for a hit.
After shutting out Yale on one hit through three innings, Austin ran into trouble in the fourth inning. Sophomore third baseman Andy Megee led off the inning with a double down the left field line. Then, freshman catcher Ryan Brenner gave the Bulldogs a 2-1 lead when he blasted the first home run of his college career, a two-run shot over the leftfield fence.
Making his first career start, Austin pitched five solid innings as he allowed two runs on four hits with two walks and four strikeouts.
The Tigers scratched out a run to tie the game in the bottom of the fifth inning, thanks to the base running of senior shortstop Gary Helmick. With one out, Helmick drew a walk. After he stole second base, he advanced to third base when junior Kevin Collins flew out to rightfield. On a 3-0 pitch, junior third baseman Steve Yarsinsky blooped a single to right centerfield, driving in Helmick with the tying run. After Yarsinsky stole second base, Lally ended the inning by striking out Matt Collins.
The Bulldogs re-gained the lead in the top of the sixth inning against relief pitcher Charlie Cononie. Junior first baseman Trygg Larsson-Danforth, the first hitter he faced, drew a leadoff walk. Megee followed with a single through the right side to give Yale two base runners with no outs. After both runners moved up a base on a wild pitch, Brenner hit a ground ball to Yarsinsky at third base. Yarsinsky's throw to the plate trapped Larsson-Danforth in a rundown. By the time he was tagged out, Megee was at third base and Brenner had reached second base. Moments later, sophomore designated hitter Andrew Moore lined a double into the rightfield corner, giving Yale a 4-2 lead.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Tigers loaded the bases with one out against Gruber. However, Gruber got catcher Brian Wyman to ground into an inning-ending double play. In the seventh, Kevin Collins drew a one-out walk but Yarsinsky grounded into another inning-ending double play.
The Bulldogs made a bid to add to their lead in the eighth inning when Megee led off with a triple to rightfield. However, Cononie retired the next three hitters in a row to keep the Tigers' deficit at 4-2.
For the third inning in a row, Gruber got defensive help from his infield in the eighth. After Matt Collins led off with a single, he retired Stifler on a fly ball and got Wychock to ground into another inning-ending double play.
In the ninth inning, the Bulldogs added to their lead. After Matt Schmidt drew a leadoff walk, he advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Charlie Meil. After sophomore Gant Elmore walked, senior Stefan Schropp lined a single to right, driving in Schmidt and advancing Elmore to third base. When Cononie uncorked a wild pitch, Elmore scored to give Yale a 6-2 advantage.
Then, Larsson-Danforth put the game out of reach when he smashed a long home run to deep centerfield, giving the Bulldogs an 8-2 lead.
Shultz nailed down the win by pitching a perfect ninth inning.
Megee led the Bulldogs' nine-hit attack by going 4-for-5 with two runs scored. Megee had two singles, a double and a triple. Brenner had one hit while scoring two runs and driving in two more.
Matt Collins led Towson with two of its six hits. The Tigers left eight runners on base and hit into three double plays.
The Tigers, who were held to a season low two runs, suffered only their second loss in nine home games.
The Tigers, who are in the midst of a ten-game home stand, host Yale in the third and deciding game of their three-game series on Wednesday, March 18 at 2:30 p.m. at Schuerholz Park.
