The Judges concluded their season with a tight loss against Massachusetts Maritime Academy in the Eastern College Athletic Conference tournament, ending a two-game winning streak and a solid 2015 to 2016 campaign. 

The Judges also shut out the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth in a short 4-0 game. 

Mass. Maritime 8, Judges 6 

The Judges, assigned the fifth seed in the ECAC tournament, came out hot in the first inning. Infielder Luke Zeccola ’18 ripped a liner into left to bring in the first two runs of the game and prop the Judges up by two runs. 

Mass. Maritime inched their way back, scoring two runs over the course of the next two innings and broke it open in the third inning. In the third, the team proceeded to rock pitcher Sam Miller ’16 in the last start of his collegiate career. After three doubles off Miller, the Judges were down 5-2 against the fourth seed. 

The Buccaneers continued their barrage into the eighth inning, executing two successful bunts and tacking on three runs. 

Pitcher Daniel Schupper ’19 had a rough outing, logging two outs and three runs on the day. 

However, Schupper only allowed one earned run, as a costly error and an untimely balk led to two unearned runs.  

Coming into the ninth inning, the Judges were determined to continue their win streak and advance to the next round. 

The Judges mustered three runs but came two shy of tying and three of winning the ball game. 

Outfielder Ryan Healy ’16 smacked a ball over the right field fence to bring in two runs, but the momentum stopped there after a Zeccola strikeout. 

The Judges signed off with a 19-17-1 record on the year, a marked improvement over their previous season’s 13-20 record. 

The Judges will bid farewell to a dominant quartet in Healy, Miller, outfielder Liam O’Connor ’16 and infielder Greg Heineman ’16. 

Heineman led the team in RBIs with 28 on the season, while Miller struck out a team-high 57 batters in 15 games and notched a reasonable 3.60 ERA. 

Pitching plagued the Judges this season, but Miller was able to lessen the blow and serve as a reliable anchor for the team. 

Healy added power with three homers and 25 RBIs, while O’Connor mounted the team on his .426 batting average and 63 hits, both a team high. 

Judges 4, UMass-Dartmouth 0

The Judges handed University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth a clean shutout in the last regular season game of the year after torrential rain cut the game to eight innings. 

The Judges shot out of the gate and scored a run in the first from a Healy single into right. 

Pitcher Liam Coughlin ’17 pitched a true gem, delivering one-two-three innings in the first two innings of the game. 

Coughlin allowed five hits and a mere two walks after striking out three in seven innings of play. 

The Judges added on a few more runs in the fourth as Zeccola, Healy and catcher Connor Doyle ’16 crossed home plate. Zeccola lit the fire with a single into right to advance Healy after a fielding error. Doyle knocked in Zeccola and Healy on the next at bat after another costly fielding error, bringing him to 27 RBIs on the season. Doyle finally rounded the bases and stomped on home plate after a single by infielder Jay Schaff ’17.

Coughlin managed to squeeze out of a rocky fifth inning, allowing a UMass player to advance to third on a wild pitch. Coughlin loosened his nerves and got the next batter to ground into an easy out to the shortstop.  It was smooth sailing from there, as Coughlin racked up a few more 1-2-3 innings and the Judges huddled for shelter as the rain came down in sheets. 

The Judges finished their regular season campaign at 19-16-1, as UMass fell to 16-19 on the year. The Judges finished their season on an incredible note, winning their last 11 of 12 games and raising their record to above five hundred. 

Judges 16, Trinity College (Conn.) 4

The Judges made easy work of the Trinity College Bantams, cruising to a 16-4 victory and propelling them to their 10th win in their last 11 games. The Judges went on a tear to begin the first two innings, scoring a combined nine runs in the first two. 

Infielder Benjamin Bavly ’19 ripped a double to the outfield to score O’Connor at the plate for the first run of the game. 

Bavly then scored from a Heineman single, and after two sacrifice flies, the Judges were up 4-0. 

Miller let up a lone run in the bottom of the first, only to have the Judges retaliate with a five-run second inning. The hitting barrage, accompanied by a much-appreciated error by the Bantam fielders, resulted in four hits and five runs. 

The Judges didn’t let up, tacking on two more in each of the third, fourth and seventh innings to complete a trouncing of the Bantam squad. Miller allowed only one earned run, allowing three unearned from a costly— but ultimately a non-factor— error by Bavly at second. 

The Judges look forward to next season and will continue to recruit for talent in order to improve upon their commendable 2016 record.