University of Connecticut Athletics
Huskies complete sweep of Hoyas with 12-1 win
4/29/2002 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
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STORRS, CT (April 29) – Behind yet another solid pitching performance from freshman Nick Tucci (Medford, MA), the University of Connecticut baseball team completed a three-game sweep of BIG EAST foe Georgetown, 12-1, Monday afternoon at J.O. Christian Field.
With the sweep, UConn, which improved to 24-17-0 overall and 12-7-0 in the BIG EAST, remains in the hunt for one of the four conference tournament spots. The Huskies are currently in fifth place overall with six conference contests to play. Georgetown dropped to 9-42-0 overall and 2-21 in the BIG EAST.
Tucci improved to 4-2 on the season and a team-leading 4-1 in BIG EAST games. The rookie right-hander went eight innings and allowed only one run on six hits while striking out six without walking a batter. The current BIG EAST Co-Pitcher of the Week has allowed only two runs over the last 17 innings and has an ERA of 3.96.
UConn would give Tucci all the support he would need in the second inning. Junior Peter Soteropoulos (Peabody, MA) walked to start the frame and moved to second on a single up the middle by sophomore Mike Leonard (Vernon, CT). After a Georgetown error loaded the bases, juniors Tyler Stefkovich (Westport, CT) and Dan Trubia (Tolland, CT) each singled home runs to make it 2-0. A single to center by sophomore Mike Mocerino (Northboro, MA) drove in another pair, and a single by senior Jon Gorrie (Northboro, MA) brought around Trubia. Mocerino also scored on the play after the throw to third ended up in the UConn dugout. Senior Cy Hess (Oakdale, CT) capped the inning with a sacrifice fly to right to score Gorrie, giving UConn the 7-0 advantage heading into the third.
After taking a 9-0 lead in the third, Georgetown got its only run of the game in the fourth on a sacrifice fly by Carlos Gazitua. Junior Brett Burnham (South Windsor, CT) drove in two in the seventh with a double to left field and Mocerino added another RBI in the eighth to complete the scoring. Mocerino finished 2-for-4 on the day with three RBI.
Hess finished without a hit for only the second time this season, snapping his 25-game hitting streak in the process. The streak was the longest by a UConn batter in recent memory, surpassing the 23-game mark set by Soteropoulos earlier this season.
Connecticut will face Hartford on Tuesday, April 30, at Memorial Field. The game is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E GU 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 8 4 UConn 0 7 2 0 0 0 2 1 X 12 9 0Win: Tucci (4-2).
Loss: Field (1-7).
Save: None.
E: GU Supple 2, Carullo, Quinn.
LOB: GU 8; UC 10.
2B: GU O’Hare, McCourt; UC Burnham.
HBP: GU O’Hare; UC Gorrie, Burnham, Leonard, McDonough, Stefkovich, Trubia.
SF: GU Gazitua; UC Hess.
SB: UC Soteropoulos 2, Leonard, Mocerino.
Batteries: GU Kevin Field (6), Travis Danysh (1), Patrick Salvitti (1) and Chris Burling; UC Nick Tucci (8), Mike James (1) and Mike Leonard.
