University of Connecticut Athletics
UConn Baseball Holds On To Get One From West Virginia
5/1/2001 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 1, 2001
Storrs, CT - In his first start since April 1 at St. John's, University of Connecticut lefty Jesse Carlson (So., Kensington, CT) twirled eight shutout innings before Mike James (Fr., Roswell, GA) earned his second save of the season as he used five pitches to get the last out, which allowed UConn to hold on for a 3-2 victory over West Virginia Sunday afternoon at J.O. Christian Field in Storrs, CT. With the win, Connecticut is a game above .500 at 23-22 overall with a 12-11 BIG EAST record. West Virginia, who had taken two from the Huskies during Saturday's doubleheader, went to 24-21 and 9-11 in the league.
In the third, Connecticut got its first run when Jon Gorrie (Jr., Northboro, MA) grounded out to allow Mike Leonard (Fr., Vernon, CT) to cross home. Leonard finished the day going 2-for-3 to lead the team as he was the only UConn player to have more than one hit marking his fourth multi-hit game this season, half of which have come in conference play.
Three innings later, and UConn would push the lead to 3-0 when Peter Soteropoulos (So. Peabody, MA) sent one into right field to get Brian Tisbert (Sr., Andover, MA) across when West Virginia's Chris Schmidt was charged with a fielding error. One batter later, Russ D'Argento (Fr., Ashland, MA), who replaced Ryan Treat (Sr., Uncasville, CT) in the line up, singled in Soteropoulos.
Connecticut carried the lead into the top of the ninth before Tim McCabe sent a solo homer over the left field fence, which was fairly close to the same location he got one out during the first game of yesterday's doubleheader. A Dwayne Smith single cut the margin to 3-2 with Schmidt representing the run.
At that point, James came on in relief of Carlson who had gone eight and two thirds allowing nine hits and two runs (one earned), while striking out a pair and walking no one in pushing his record to 2- 5. James fired a 2-and-2 offering over the plate for the third strike as pinch hitter Drew Sandri went down swinging. The save was James' second of the year as his first came against Pittsburgh on April 7. For West Virginia, David Maust suffered the loss as he fell to 4-6. Maust went six, giving up eight hits and three earned runs, while walking two and striking out five.
Connecticut will be back in action on Tuesday, May 1, as it travels to Amherst, MA, to meet Vermont halfway. Game time is set for 4 p.m. This game was added to the schedule to replace a game against Holy Cross that was intended to be played on March 22, but was rained out and later cancelled.
UConn, 3, West Virginia, 2West Virginia (24-21, 9-11) 000 000 002 - 2 9 1UConn (23-22, 12-11) 001 002 00x- 3 10 2
Jesse Carlson, Mike James (9) and Mike Leonard.David Maust, Clayton Ewen (8) and Josh Cisneros.Win-Carlson (2-5), Loss-Maust (4-6), Save-James(2). E-Schmidt (WV), Gorrie (UC), Kagerer (UC). 2B-Grimm (WV), Schmidt (WV). 3B-Soteropoulos (UC).HR-McCabe (WV). SB-Schmidt (WV).LOB - UConn-5, WVU-7DP - WVU-1
