Huskies Rally to Top Fairfield, 15-14

Boxscore [.pdf]

STORRS, Conn. (April 19, 2005) - The University of Connecticut baseball team scored a run in the bottom of the ninth inning as the Huskies rallied to defeat Fairfield, 15-14, on Tuesday afternoon at J.O. Christian Field. UConn led 11-4 going into the seventh inning, but gave up 10 runs in the top half of the inning as Fairfield battled back to take the lead. The Huskies then scored four runs in the last three innings to pick up the win. Connecticut moves to 22-14 overall (4-7 BIG EAST), while Fairfield drops to 6-23 (4-7 MAAC).

The Huskies built a 6-3 lead after two innings, notching three runs in the first and second. Freshman Vin DiFazio (Hampston, N.J.) put two runs on the board in the first inning with his first career homerun. The hit was blasted over the left field wall and also scored senior Tony Mallozzi (Westboro, Mass.). In the next inning, Mallozzi then collected two RBI on a double to left field that scored juniors Tim Dempsey (Lexington, Mass.) and Austin Wasserman (Nashua, N.H.).

UConn expanded on its lead in the fourth inning, scoring three more runs to go up 9-3. Sophomore Dennis Donovan (Center Moriches, N.Y.) tallied the third two-RBI hit by a Husky when he knocked a triple to the center field wall and brought home fellow sophomore Larry Day (Amesbury, Mass.) and DiFazio.

Sophomore Matt Untiet (Berlin, Conn.) then led off the fifth inning with a single to left center, and advanced to second on a passed ball. Untiet came around to score when Wasserman singled to center. Mallozzi then brought home Wasserman on his second double of the day. The run was Wasserman's fourth of the game as UConn pushed the lead to 11-4.

Fairfield's bats then came alive in the seventh inning as the Stags erased their deficit, scoring 10 runs to take a 14-11 lead. Sophomore Pat Maguire (Chelmsford, Mass.) began the inning in relief of UConn starter John Slusarz (Farmington, Conn.). It would be a rough outing for the sophomore righty as Fairfield scored five runs on two hits with two walks. Maguire was replaced with junior Joe Smeraglino (Shelton, Conn.) who had difficulty with the Stags as well. Smeraglino was also unable to get any batters out and left the game with five runs, three of which were earned, on three hits with a walk.

Junior Joshua MacDonald (Milford, Conn.) then entered the game and was able to get UConn out of the inning, giving up one hit and getting his last batter to line into a double play at first. Fairfield had 13 batters in the inning, and scored its 10 runs on six hits with two errors by UConn.

The Huskies started their rally in the bottom of the inning, when freshman Pat Mahoney (Des Moines, Iowa), who entered the game as a defensive replacement for Wasserman at second, hit the third triple of the day for UConn to score Dempsey, who reached on a double in the previous at-bat. Mahoney then came home on a double by junior Bryan Maler (Ansonia, Conn.) to cut Fairfield's lead to 14-13.

UConn then manufactured a run in the bottom of the eighth to tie the game at 14-14. Day drew a walk to lead off the inning, and senior Russ D'Argento (Marlboro, Mass.) came in to pinch-run. He then moved to second a sac bunt by Donovan and scored on an error by the pitcher.

The Huskies entered the bottom of the ninth with the score still tied. Mahoney reached first on a hit-by-pitch, followed by Maler, who bunted a single to first. Mallozzi moved both runners into scoring position on a sac bunt. DiFazio then drew an intentional walk to load the bases. With one out, Steven Malinowski (Kensington, Conn.) brought home Mahoney on a sac-fly for the game-winning RBI.

MacDonald pitched the final three innings, holding the Stags scoreless on just two hits, to pick up the win to move to 1-1 this season.

Mallozzi and Maler both tallied three hits and three RBI in the game. Wasserman was 2-for-2 and scored a season-high four runs. All 10 Huskies who had an at-bat registered a hit. Overall, Connecticut out-hit Fairfield 17-15 with nine extra-base hits (five doubles, three triples and one homerun).

Connecticut will next travel to West Point, N.Y., to face Army on Wednesday, April 20 in a 3:30 p.m. game.