Huskies Edges Vermont, 6-5

Boxscore [.pdf]

BURLINGTON, Vt. (May 17, 2005) - The University of Connecticut baseball team defeated Vermont by a score of 6-5 on Tuesday evening behind the pitching of freshman Matt Karl (Wallingford, Conn.) and senior Jeff Hourigan (Beacon Falls, Conn.). The game marked two UConn firsts for the pitching duo as Karl registered his first collegiate win and Hourigan picked up his first save as a Husky. The victory also tied the school's record for wins in a season as the Huskies move to 32-20 (10-10 BIG EAST), while Vermont falls to 23-17 (11-7 America East).

Karl started the game for UConn and threw six innings, scattering four runs on five hits with four strikeouts and two walks as the rookie improved to 1-2. Hourigan moved from first base to the mound to close out the game and pitched the final three innings with one run on two hits, three strikeouts and a walk.

The Huskies jumped on the board first in what would be a back-and-forth offensive battle. UConn scored two runs in the top of the third to go up 2-0. Freshman Pat Mahoney (Des Moines, Iowa) led off the inning with a strikeout, but reached first on a wild pitch third strike. Junior Austin Wasserman (Nashua, N.H.) then moved Mahoney to third on a double to left field, and the rookie came home on a single by senior Russ D'Argento (Marlboro, Mass.). Hourigan then walked to load the bases, and was followed by sophomore Josh Farkes (Boston, Mass.) who drew another walk to score Wasserman.

The lead was cut in half as Vermont answered with a run in the bottom of the inning to move to score to 2-1. The Huskies tallied two more runs in the top of the fourth though to increase the lead to 4-1. With the bases loaded, D'Argento singled to center to score Mahoney and sophomore Dennis Donovan (Center Moriches, N.Y.).

Vermont knotted the game in the bottom of the sixth when Miguel Magrass hit a three-run homerun to even the score at 4-4. UConn put another two spot on the scoreboard in the top of the seventh to regain the lead at 6-4. D'Argento manufactured a run as he walked to get on base, stole second and moved to third on a single by Hourigan. He then came home on a fielding error by the shortstop to put UConn ahead again. The second run of the inning was scored when Mahoney drew a bases-loaded walk to bring home Hourigan.

The Catamounts threatened again in the bottom of the inning, but were held to just one run by Hourigan as he struck out Magrass with a runner on third to end the inning.

UConn out-hit Vermont 9-7, but stranded 12 runners, and did not commit an error while the Catamounts recorded two. D'Argento was the lone Husky to have multiple hits in the game going 2-for-4 with a run and three RBI. Hourigan, who began the game playing first base, went 1-for-3 with a run and two walks. The Huskies faced six Catamount pitchers, with John Boyle registering the loss.

The Huskies return to J.O. Christian Field to close out their regular season schedule. UConn plays host to Hartford on Wednesday, May 18 at 3:00 p.m. in its final non-conference match-up. Boston College then comes to Storrs for a three-games BIG EAST series May 20-21, with a doubleheader on Friday and a single game Saturday. Action begins at 12:00 p.m. both days, and the three senior Huskies will be honored prior to Saturday's game in the Hartford Courant careerbuilder.com Senior Salute.