Huskies Split With West Virginia
Game 1 Box Scores
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Score(.pdf)
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Score(.html)
Game 2 Box Scores
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Score(.pdf)
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Score(.html)
STORRS, CT (May 22) — After dropping Game 1 of Saturday’s
doubleheader, 4-1, with BIG EAST foe West Virginia, the University of
Connecticut baseball team came back in dramatic fashion to take a 6-5
decision in Game 2. With the victory, the Huskies move to 25-28 on the
season and 9-16 in BIG EAST play. The Mountaineers now stand at 22-29
overall and 9-16 in conference.
The Huskies retired the numbers of former head coaches J.O.
Christian #17, Larry Panciera #35, and Andy Baylock #29 in a ceremony
held prior to Game 2 of today’s doubleheader. All three numbers now
hang on the left field wall.
Marc Peluso (Pawcatuck, CT) drove in the game-winning run when he
hit a single through the right sided with the bases loaded in Game 2.
The Huskies took a 2-0 lead after the third inning of Game 2 and
starter Mike James looked as if he would make those two runs hold up.
In his final start as a husky, James one hit the Mountaineers into the
eighth inning. However, West Virginia got to James in the eighth.
James gave up a lead off walk in the eighth and Travis D’Amico
followed that up with a single into left. Jake Serfass advanced both
runners with a sac bunt, but Grant Psomas failed to get a run in when
he popped out to shallow right. However, Curtis Clinton erased that
blunder when he hit a two out, three run homer over the left field
wall, giving West Virginia its first lead of the day, 3-2. They would
add another run in the frame to take a 4-2 edge after eight.
The Huskies would answer in dramatic fashion in the home half.
After Tony Mallozzi (Westboro, MA) drew a walk, Marc Peluso
(Pawcatuck, CT) drove him in on a triple down the left field line.
Dave Tokarz (Seymour, CT) then drilled a two out two run homer over
the left field fence to give the Huskies a 5-4 lead heading into the
ninth.
West Virginia would plate a run in the top of the ninth, but Joe
Smeraglino (Shelton, CT) worked out of a bases loaded jam when he got
Grant Posomas to ground into an inning ending double play to set up
Peluso’s heroics.
Peluso went 3-for-5 with a double and a triple in Game 2 with three
RBI and one run scored. Tim Dempsey (Lexington, MA) went 3-for-4 with
an RBI. James ended up going 7.2 innings and gave up four runs on six
hits while striking out two. Smeraglino came in and pitched 1.1
innings and surrendered one run on four hits and collected his fourth
win of the season.
The Huskies got yet another solid outing from junior starter Jeff
Hourigan (Beacon Falls, CT). Hourigan hurled his team-high
seventh complete game of the season, giving up four runs (three
earned) on six hits while striking out seven. He was bested by
West Virginia hurler Zac Cline. The southpaw also went the
distance and gave up only one run on five hits.
West Virginia took the lead for good in the second. After
Hourigan got two quick outs, David Carpenter hit a double down the
left field line and scored on Travis D’Amico’s single into left.
Hourigan ended the threat when he got Grant Psomas to look at strike
three.
The Mountaineers would extend the lead to 2-0 in the third.
Hourigan once again got two quick outs in the third frame, but Kyle
Matuszek laid down a bunt single and advanced to second on a throwing
error. Matuszek then stole third base and scored on Doug Nelms’
single through the left side.
The Huskies would answer with a run of their own in the third,
cutting the Mountaineer lead in half. Dennis Donovan (Center
Moriches, NY) led off the frame with a single into right and Kyle
Messineo (Cedar Grove, NJ) followed that up with a walk. Both
runners moved up 90 feet on Russ D’Argento’s (Marlboro, MA) sacrifice
bunt and Donovan came around to score on Tony Mallozzi’s (Westboro,
MA) sac fly to center.
UConn was unable to plate any more runs though and West Virginia
added two insurance runs in the top half of the seventh.
Senior Mike Leonard (Vernon, CT) went 1-for-2 with a walk in his
return to the lineup.
The Huskies are back in action for their record 56th and final game
of the 2004 season. The Huskies once again take on West Virginia
in the rubber game of this three game set. Game time is set for
12:00 pm and senior day festivities will precede the the contest.
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