University of Connecticut Athletics
Huskies Pound Out Six Home Runs to Down UMass
4/15/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
UMass 8, Connecticut 20
Connecticut 0 0 1 6 0 10 3 0 0 - 20 18 0
UMass 1 2 3 0 0 0 0 0 2 - 8 17 3
C: Shawn Hoggatt, Bob Barton (2), Keith Potvin (3), Ryan Christopher (6), Brendan McGinn (7), Erik Drown (8), Mike James (9) and Mike Leonard, Tyler Stefkovich (7). M: Jason Hickey, Jon Davis (4), David Sullivan (6), John Toffey (7), Jeremy Demmers (8) and Frank Curreri, Tom Ellerbrook (6) Win- Potvin (3-1). Loss - Davis (0-1). Save - Lipscomb (2). 2B - Andy Harris 2 (C), Mike Athas (M), Chris Morgan (M), Matt Boulanger (M), Jeff Altieri. 3B- Frank Curreri (U) HR - Bryan Maler (C), Dan Trubia (C), Mike Mocerino 2 (C), Russ D’Argento (C), Brett Burnham (C), Jason Twomley (M).
AMHERST, MA (April 15) - Junior Mike Mocerino hit two home runs and had a career high seven RBI as the University of Connecticut baseball team hit a season high six home runs to defeat the UMass Minutemen 20-8 Tuesday afternoon at Earl Lorden Field. The win ends a three game losing streak for the Huskies and moves their record to 17-14 on the season, while UMass falls to 11-10.
UMass started the scoring with two runs in the first and one in the second to jump out to an early 3-0 lead. The Minutemen scoring came off RBI singles by Cullan Maumus and Matt Reynolds and the third run scored on a bases loaded double play in the second.
The Huskies finally got on the board in the third with an RBI single by Peter Soteropoulos (Peabody, MA) that scored Russ D’Argento (Marlboro, MA) to cut the lead to 3-1. The Minutemen would come right back hammering out three runs in the bottom of the third on a solo home run by Jason Twomley, a RBI triple by Frank Curreri and a RBI single by Curt Szado.
The UConn bats woke up in the top of the fourth with lead off back to back home runs by Bryan Maler (Ansonia, CT) and Dan Trubia (Tolland, CT). The Huskies were not done as Mike Mocerino (Northboro, MA) and D’Argento hit two run home runs to score Mike Leonard (Vernon, CT) and Andy Harris (Somerset, KY), respectively. The four home runs in an inning is a season high for the Huskies as they took a 7-6 lead.
Connecticut continued to hit the ball all over the field in the sixth as the Huskies put a 10 spot on the board. UConn started the scoring with a Brett Burnham (South Windsor, CT) three run home run that scored D’Argento and Harris. After three straight singles, Mocerino hit a two run single of his own to score Trubia and Maler. A double by Harris, his second of the day, brought home Leonard for a 13-6 lead. D’Argento and Burnham were then hit by pitches to bring home Mocerino and then back to back fielding errors by UMass on hits by Soteropoulos and Mike McDonough (Abington, MA) brought in Harris, D’Argento and Burnham for the 17-6 advantage.
UConn added three more in the seventh on Mocerino’s second home run of the day, a three run shot that scored Leonard and Trubia. UMass would score two in the bottom of the ninth on a two run double by Jeff Altieri for the 20-8 final.
The UConn relief pitching was outstanding as Keith Potvin (Manchester, NH), Ryan Christopher (Suffern, NY), Brendan McGinn (Tolland, CT) and Erik Drown (Ipswich, MA) allowed only three hits in 5.1 scoreless innings. Potvin picks up the win for the Huskies, his third of the season, while Jon Davis gets the loss for UMass.
The Huskies return home to J.O. Christian Field on Thursday, April 17, for a conference double header against Boston College. First pitch is scheduled for Noon.
