University of Connecticut Athletics
Huskies come up short in slugfest at UMass
4/17/2002 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
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AMHERST, MA (April 17) – After scoring 26 runs on Tuesday in a win over Holy Cross, the University of Connecticut baseball team scored 18 against Massachusetts on Wednesday but came up a run short as the Minutemen grabbed a 19-18, extra-inning win at Earl Lorden Field.
Tied at 18-18 after nine innings, Massachusetts scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the tenth when Aaron Senez drove in Connell Clark on a squeeze play. UConn dropped to 16-15-0 with the loss while UMass improved to 13-17-0 overall. The last time the two teams faced on April 10 at J.O. Christian Field, the Huskies scored the game’s only run in a 1-0 pitcher’s duel. Such was not the case in the rematch as the teams combined for 41 hits while leaving 19 runners on base and going through five pitchers apiece.
The Huskies started the scoring in the first behind RBI singles from juniors Peter Soteropoulos (Peabody, MA) and Dan Trubia (Tolland, CT). UConn added three runs in the second on a three-run homer by junior Brett Burnham (South Windsor, CT), the first of two for the shortstop on the day. The Huskies led 5-0 heading into the bottom of the frame, though the Minutemen hit up senior right-hander Mike Tripaldi (Groton, MA) for three runs to make it 5-3 by the start of the third.
UConn kept the runs coming in the third when senior Jon Gorrie (Northboro, MA) brought home two runs with a single to center. The next batter, senior Cy Hess (Oakdale, CT), then hit his second home run in as many days to make the score 9-3. UMass countered with four runs in its half of the third, though UConn answered back with a run in the fourth on an RBI bunt by freshman Tony Mallozzi (Westboro, MA).
Massachusetts pulled to within a run in the fifth with three runs to make it 10-9. Connecticut, however, seemed to break the game open in the sixth. The Huskies plated eight runs in the frame with the help of two home runs, the first a grand slam by Burnham and the second a two-run shot by sophomore Mike Leonard (Vernon, CT). Gorrie and sophomore Mike Mocerino (Northboro, MA) also had RBI singles in the inning.
After UConn thought it had some breathing room leading 18-10 after its half of the sixth, the Minutemen jumped right back into the game by scoring seven runs in its half to make it 18-17. UMass was helped out by two UConn errors in the frame, two of five errors on the day that led to five unearned runs.
Clinging to a one-run lead, Connecticut’s bats suddenly went cold in the late innings. The Huskies managed one hit in the final four innings, as UMass’ Neil Scheller worked the last 4.1 innings and didn’t give up a run while fanning two. The Minutemen scored a run in the ninth to send the game into extras, and after the Huskies’ top of the lineup went down in order in the top of the tenth, Trubia came in to pitch and hit the first UMass batter of the inning. After a sacrifice bunt moved the winning run to second, a passed ball brought Clark to third and set the stage for the game-winning squeeze.
Burnham went 4-for-6 in the game with seven RBI, the most of any UConn player in a single game this season. He now has six home runs on the season, one shy of Hess’s team-leading seven. Trubia, who had six RBI on Tuesday against Holy Cross, finished 3-for-5 with two doubles and an RBI.
Connecticut will travel to Boston, MA, for an afternoon tilt against Northeastern on Thursday, April 18. The game is scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 R H E UConn 2 3 4 1 0 8 0 0 0 0 18 20 5 UMass 0 3 4 0 3 7 0 0 1 1 19 21 2
Win: Scheller (1-0).
Loss: Trubia (0-1).
Save: None.
E: UC Trubia, Leonard 3, McDonough; UM Senez, Maumus.
LOB: UC UConn 9; UM 10.
2B: UC Trubia 2; UM Durepo, Kulak, Klett, Altieri 3, Ellerbrook.
HR: UC Hess, Burnham 2, Leonard.
HBP: UC Gorrie; UM Maumus 2, Clark 2.
SH: UC Leonard, Mallozzi; UM Seed, Maumus, Clark.
SF: UM Durepo 2, Kulak 2.
SB: UC Gorrie 2, Mocerino; UM Clark.
CS: UM Altieri.
Batteries: UC Mike Tripaldi (2.1), Josh MacDonald (2.2), Keith Potvin (1), Mike James (3), Dan Trubia (0.1) and Mike Leonard; UM Mike Crane (2), Matt Mitchell (0.2), Julio Ramos (2.2), David Loonie (0.1), Neil Scheller (4.1) and Tom Ellerbrook.
