DANBURY, Conn. - Junior right-hander Kyle Brelling (Bethel, Conn.) pitch eight and a third strong innings and the Western Connecticut State University baseball team held on in the ninth inning defeat visiting University of Massachusetts Boston, 5-4, in the nightcap of a Little East Conference doubleheader at Westside Field on Wednesday night.  The Colonials, now 2-10 overall and 2-9 in the league, dropped the opener, 14-2 in seven innings to the Beacons.

Brelling. 1-2, allowed three runs on seven hits, struck out 10 and walked two, but was forced from the bump with one out and runners on first and second in the final inning. 

With WestConn leading 5-1, Ethan Skinner (Berlin, Conn.) came on but could not record the save and allowed what Brelling left, to score to cut the visitor's deficit to 5-2.  As the rain continued to fall, Skinner tossed back-to-back wild pitches to bring allow UMB to draw within one, 5-4. 

Senior Mike Hendler (Purchase, N.Y.) was summoned from the bullpen for the final two outs.  Following a foul-pop out by Nico Kydes and with the bases now empty, Devin Slattery singled up the middle and Ben Irvine doubled down the left field line to put the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position.  Hendler induced Gianni Zarrilli to go down swinging to end the Beacons rally and send the WestConn bench into celebration.

In the nightcap, Max Gregory (Jewitt City, Conn.) and Joe Gambino (Stamford, Conn.) each had two hits with the later driving in a pair of runs.  Nick Lepere (Beacon, N.Y.), Moe Echevarria (Norwalk, Conn.) and Logan Terry (Ellington, Conn.) each had an RBI for the winners.

Jackson Snider suffered the loss for the Beacons after allowing three runs on two hits over the first three innings.  He struck out one and walked three and drops to 1-1 on the season.

In the opener, UMB collected a dozen hits, headed by Curtis Tirone's 3-for-5, a double, two runs batted in and two runs scored.  Thomas Cue belted a two-run homer and drove in three runs in the mercy-rule-shortened victory.

Tylor Arruda earned the victory and is now 1-0 following his complete-game five hitter.  Hew allowed just one runs, struck out nine and walked two.

Justin Grullon (Washington Heights, N.Y.) took the loss after allowing nine runs, seven of them earned, over four and two-third innings.  he struck out one, walked four and is now 0-3.

WestConn's Kevin Smith (Vernon, Conn.) was the only Colonial with more than one hit as he doubled and scored both runs.

Due to expected rain on Friday, the Colonials doubleheader at Plymouth State University has already been moved to Saturday, May 1.