Connecticut 13, Fairfield 8
Connecticut (14-8) 3 0 5 0 2 3 0 - 13 14 1
Fairfield (4-13-1) 0 5 1 2 0 0 0 - 8 12 5
C: Brendan McGinn, Ryan Christopher (3), Joe Smeraglino (5) and
Tyler Stefkovich. F: Steve Tyburski, Patrick Quinn (3), Matt Coolidge
(5), Paul Gorra (7) and Tom Arpino. Win- Smeraglino (1-0). Loss -
Coolidge (0-1). 2B - Soteropolous (C), Leonard (C), Stefkovich (C),
Batista (F), Mancuso (F), Leaver (F), Arpino (F). HR - Burnham (C),
Dempsey (C).
FULL BOX SCORE
FAIRFIELD, CT (April 3) – Three shutout innings of relief by
freshman Joe Smeraglino (Shelton, CT) in his collegiate debut helped
the University of Connecticut baseball team win its 11th consecutive
game as the Huskies beat Fairfield, 13-8, on Thursday at the Stags’
Alumni Diamond. With the win, UConn improves to 14-8 on the year while
Fairfield slips to 4-13-1.
UConn jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning
with a trio of unearned runs. Mike McDonough forced in Russ D’Argento
with a bases loaded walk for UConn’s first run while two more would
cross on misplayed balls off of the bats of Mike Leonard and Bryan
Maler. Fairfield took a 5-3 lead in the second when the Stags plated
five runs. The big hits in the rally were a three-RBI double to the gap
in left center by Tom Arpino and a two-RBI double by Greg Batista.
UConn gained an 8-5 advantage in the top of the third. Brett
Burnham led off the frame with a solo home run and Peter Soteropolous
followed it up with a double. Tim Dempsey drove in Soteropolous with a
single up the middle, tying the game at 5-5. Dempsey scored the
go-ahead run on an error off of a drive by Maler and Tyler Stefkovich
wrapped up the rally with a two-RBI ground single through the left
side of the Stag infield. Once again the home team would come back
though and with a Fairfield run in the third and two more in the
fourth, the two teams would stand tied at 8-8 going to the fifth
inning.
In the top of the fifth, Maler welcomed Stag reliever Matt Coolidge
with a leadoff single and then scored the eventual game-winning run
two batters later on a Stefkovich double to left center. David Tokarz
followed with an RBI single that plated Stefkovich and gave UConn a
10-8 edge. The Huskies plated a trio of insurance runs in the sixth.
Soteropolous drew a leadoff walk and scored on Dempsey’s two-run home
run. Leonard would score the game’s final run on an error to account
for the 13-8 final. The game was called after the seventh inning on
account of darkness.
Brendan McGinn started for UConn and allowed six runs and eight
hits in two and two thirds innings of work with five strikeouts. Ryan
Christopher was the first Husky out of the bullpen and yielded two
runs on two hits in an inning and a third of work. Smeraglino shut the
door to pick up the win, throwing shutout innings in the fifth, sixth
and seventh, fanning one and allowing just two singles. Coolidge
picked up the loss for Fairfield, yielding five runs in his two
innings of relief.
The Huskies return to conference action on Friday when they face
St. John’s at noon in a BIG EAST doubleheader in Jamaica, N.Y.
