Huskies Beat Marist, 10-5, for Fourth Straight Win

Boxscore [.pdf]

STORRS, Conn. (April 6, 2005) - The University of Connecticut baseball team beat Marist by a score of 10-5 on Wednesday afternoon at J.O. Christian Field for the Huskies' fourth win in a row and seventh in their last nine games. UConn is now 19-7 while Marist falls to 7-13.

Connecticut was trailing 4-1 heading into the bottom of the fourth, but scored two runs in the inning to cut the lead to one. Freshman Vin DiFazio (Hampton, N.J.) doubled to right center, followed by senior Jeff Hourigan (Beacon Fall, Conn.) who drew a walk to put runners on first and second. Fellow senior Russ D'Argento (Marlboro, Mass.) then blasted a double to left center to empty the bases and move the score to 4-3.

The Huskies then took the lead in the bottom of the sixth, scoring three runs to go up 6-4. Senior Tony Mallozzi (Westboro, Mass.) led off the inning with a double to center field. DiFazio then reached base on an error by the shortstop, but was out in the next at-bat on a fielder's choice by Hourigan that moved Mallozzi to third. D'Argento then notched his second bases-clearing double of the day, scoring Mallozzi and Hourigan. D'Argento advanced to third on a stolen base and came around to score on a groundout by sophomore Larry Day (Amesbury, Mass.).

UConn added three more runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to go up 9-4 when Mallozzi scorched the ball down the left line for a bases-loaded double that scored juniors Austin Wasserman (Nashua, N.H.) and Bryan Maler (Ansonia, Conn.), and sophomore Dennis Donovan (Center Moriches, N.Y.).

Marist scored one more run in the top of the eighth, but the Huskies responded in the bottom of the inning when Maler scored on a wild pitch to move the score to 10-5.

Freshman Mike Tarsi (Danbury, Conn.) started the game for UConn and threw four innings with four runs, two of them earned, on nine hits with five strikeouts. Junior Joe Smeraglino (Shelton, Conn.) then picked up his second win of the season, pitching the fifth and sixth innings with no runs on two hits.

Freshman David Erickson (Stratford, Conn.), junior Tim Norton (Pascoag, R.I.) and sophomore Ted Garry (Rochester, Minn.) each pitched an inning to finish out the game. Tom Close (1-3) registered the loss for Marist.

UConn was out-hit 13-10, but six of its 10 hits were doubles. Mallozzi was 3-for-5 with a run and three RBI, while D'Argento went 2-for-3, driving in three runs while scoring two. Maler also scored two while going 2-for-4, and Day notched two RBI on a 1-for-4 performance.

The Huskies will look to continue their win streak when they play host to BIG EAST foe Pittsburgh April 9-10 at J.O. Christian Field. The two teams will face off in a doubleheader on Saturday and then play in a single game on Sunday. Action begins at 12:00 p.m. on both days.