Baseball Loses Heartbreaker to UMass

Boxscore [.pdf]

AMHERST, Mass. (April 12, 2005) - The University of Connecticut baseball team lost a heartbreaker to Massachusetts on Tuesday afternoon as the Minutemen scored a run in the bottom of the ninth inning to take the 5-4 win at Earl Lorden Field. UConn rallied to tie the game at 4-4, but could not hold off UMass' charge in the bottom of the ninth. The loss moves the Huskies to 20-10 overall, 4-4 in BIG EAST games. The Minutemen improve to 5-18, 0-6 in the Atlantic 10.

UMass jumped on the board quickly, batting around and scoring four runs in the bottom of the first inning for an early 4-0 lead. Three of the runs came on a bases-loaded double hit by Bryan Garrity, who got tagged out trying to stretch the double into a triple.

Connecticut battled back, though, scoring single runs in the second and third innings. Junior Steven Malinowski (Kensington, Conn.) scored the first UConn run on a sac fly by classmate Bryan Maler (Ansonia, Conn.). The Huskies then cut the lead to 4-2 when senior Jeff Hourigan (Beacon Falls, Conn.), who singled to get on base and moved to second on a single by fellow senior Russ D'Argento (Marlboro, Mass.), advanced to third and scored on a throwing error by the catcher.

The rally was complete in the top of the fourth, when UConn tallied two more runs to even the game at 4-4. Junior Austin Wasserman (Nashua, N.H.) sped around the bases to score from first on a single to right center by Maler. Maler stole second to get into scoring position and was brought home by Hourigan when he doubled to left field.

Junior right-hander Joe Smeraglino (Shelton, Conn.) entered the game in relief in the first inning, replacing UConn starter John Slusarz (Farmington, Conn.). Slusarz had a rough start and left the game after two-thirds of an inning with four runs on four hits. Smeraglino then pitched the next 5.1 innings and held the Minutemen scoreless on three hits, four walks and five strikeouts.

The game remained tied at four apiece heading into the bottom of the ninth inning as junior Joshua MacDonald (Milford, Conn.) was pitching for the Huskies. Bryan Adamski led off the inning with a single and advanced to third on an error by Malinowski at catcher. MacDonald was relieved by freshman David Erickson (Stratford, Conn.) and Ryan Franczek, the first batter he faced, came through with the RBI single that scored Adamski and gave UMass the 5-4 win.

MacDonald registered the loss, his first decision of the season. He pitched two innings with two hits, two walks and a strikeout. David Sullivan (1-2) picked up the win for UMass.

Hourigan registered three of UConn's seven hits in the game, going 3-for-5 with a run and an RBI. Maler brought home two Husky runs while scoring one on a 1-for-4 performance.

Connecticut looks to rebound when it plays host to Siena on Wednesday, April 13 at J.O. Christian Field. The game will begin at 3:00 p.m.