Connecticut 8, North Florida 5

Connecticut   0 0 0   0 0 2   0 1 5   --  8  9  3

North Florida  0 0 0   1 0 0   0 2 2   --  5  7  3

UC: Brendan McGinn, Joe Smeraglino (8) and Mike Leonard. NF: Tony Polster, Ryan Amason (8), Billy Layman (9), Colin Fender (9) and Brandon Diaz. WP- Joe Smeraglino (2-0). LP- Billy Layman (1-2) HR: UC- Mike Leonard.

JACKSONVILLE, FL (March 10) – Senior Mike Leonard (Vernon, CT) went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI and junior Russ D’Argento got a big two-out hit in the ninth to put the Huskies up for good as the University of Connecticut baseball team defeated North Florida 8-5 on its home field in Jacksonville, Fla. at the Kennel Club Classic. With the victory, UConn’s third straight, the Huskies improve to 3-5 on the season. North Florida slips to 13-8, and loses for only the second time in nine games.

The Ospreys are currently ranked No. 11 in Division II, and began the season ranked No. 3 in Division II. Prior to its match up with the Huskies, North Florida had trailed in only two innings of the Kennell Club Classic.

With two on and two out, D’Argento hit a single into left, scoring Mike Mocerino (Northboro, MA), giving UConn a 4-3 lead it would not relinquish. D’Argento’s single effectively opened up the flood gates for the Husky offense as they would post five runs in the top half of the ninth.

The Ospreys did threaten in the bottom half of the ninth as they scored two runs and brought the tying run to the plate, but Joe Smeraglino (Shelton, CT) struck out Max Oxendine on a 3-2 pitch for the victory.

Brendan McGinn (Tolland, CT) was sensational in the start for UConn, scattering six hits in 7.2 innings and giving up only one earned run. Smeraglino pitched the final 1.1 innings for his second victory in as many nights.

After the Huskies fell behind 1-0 in the fourth, Mike Leonard (Vernon, CT) roped a two-run home run over the center field fence, giving the Huskies a 2-1 lead in the sixth. Junior Tony Mallozzi (Westboro, MA) reached on a single up the middle to set the table for Leonard.

The Ospreys threatened in the bottom half of the seventh, as McGinn gave up a one out walk to shortstop Marion Knowles and Knowles advanced to second on a wild pitch. UNF then got a two out single to left, but Mallozzi got to it quickly and made a strong throw to third baseman Marc Peluso (Pawcatuck, RI) who turned and fired to Leonard. With Knowles bearing down on him, Leonard stood his ground and applied the tag, preserving the Huskies’ one run edge.

The Ospreys would tie the game up in the eighth. With two outs and runners at the corners, Joe Hodach hit a sharp grounder to third. Peluso struggled to get the ball out of his glove though and his throw to third was narrowly beaten by Hodach at first, and the Ospreys scored the game-tying run on the play.

The Huskies are back in action for a double-dip with Illinois State and Butler on Thursday, March 11 at 1:00 and 4:00 pm in Jacksonville, Fla.