Baseball Falls to Ohio State in 6-4 Battle

PALM BEACH, Fla. (March 9, 2008) — A three-run eighth inning rally was not enough as Ohio State slipped past the University of Connecticut baseball team 6-4 on Sunday afternoon in the Huskies' second game of the Papa John's Palm Beach Challenge.

Ohio State opened the game recording two runs in the top of the first inning as two walks and a stolen base put runners into scoring position for the Buckeyes. Junior Justin Miller picked up the two RBIs in the inning as he singled to center field to score teammates Tony Kennedy and Cory Kovanda.

With two quiet innings following, Ohio State added three runs combined in the top of the fourth and fifth innings to extend their lead. Two of the three runs for the Buckeyes came in the fourth as a double by Zach Hurley led of the inning. After an infield groundout, Hurley advanced to third then scored on a Husky fielding error. A Kennedy single to center scored Dan Burkhart, who reached base on a walk earlier in the inning. The Buckeyes fifth run of the game came in the following inning as another Ohio State double threatened the UConn defense. Miller scored Ohio State's run as another UConn fielding error made a difference in the game.

The Huskies finally got a run on the board as sophomore Harold Brantley Jr. (Silver
Spring, Md.) hit his first homerun of the season and fourth career blast.

In the top of the eighth, the Buckeyes added yet another run to extend their lead to 6-1 as J.B. Shuck scored an unearned run on a Burkhart sacrifice fly.

UConn showed promise of a rally in the eighth, as freshman Elliot Glynn (Los Alamitos, Calf.) reached base on a Buckeye fielding error. Glynn later scored an unearned run as freshman Mike Olt (Branford, Conn.) doubled to right center to pick up his third RBI of the season.  Senior Matt Karl (Wallingford, Conn.) earned his fifth hit of the season as he singled to center field to score Olt from second base. UConn added a third run as Karl advanced to third on a Peter Fatse (Hampden) single and scored on a sacrifice fly by freshman Mike Nemeth (Washington, N.J.).

Freshman Dan Mahoney (Boston, Mass.) took the loss on the mound for the Huskies as he allowed six hits and three earned runs in 5.0 innings pitched. Freshman Maxx Catapano (Fairfield, Conn.) came in out of the bullpen for the Huskies and saw four innings of playing time. Catapano was able to match Mahoney's five strike outs and allowed just two hits.

Ohio State's Shuck pitched 6.0 innings for the Buckeyes and struck out three while picking up his second win of the season.

UConn will return to action on Monday, March 10 with a game against Pennsylvania at 2:00 p.m. at the Santaluces Sports Complex.

 -UCONN-