University of Connecticut Athletics
UConn Pitching Closes Door on Hartford
4/29/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Connecticut 5, Hartford 1
Connecticut 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 5 5 1
Hartford 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 5 1
C: Joe Smeraglino, Brendan McGinn (7), Mike James (9) and Mike Leonard. H: Kyle Valentine, Ben Mehl (9) and Keith Mirante. Win - Smeraglino (2-0). Loss - Valentine (0-1). 2B- Brett Burnham 2 (C), Cory Parker 2 (H). 3B- Tony Mallozzi (C). HR - Mike Mocerino (C), Ron Acabbo (H).
SIMSBURY, CT (April 29) - Freshman Joe Smeraglino (Shelton, CT) pitched six innings, allowing one run on four hits and striking out seven, to lead the University of Connecticut baseball team to a 5-1, win over the University of Hartford Tuesday, afternoon at Memorial Stadium in Simsbury, CT. The win improves the Huskies to 20-20 on the season, while the Hawks fall to 4-25 overall.
The Huskies started the scoring in the top of the first on an RBI by Peter Soteropoulos (Peabody, MA) to score Tony Mallozzi (Westboro, MA), who started the scoring with a one out triple to left field. Mike Mocerino (Northboro, MA) continued the scoring for UConn in the top of the second with a solo home run to left for a 2-0, lead. Connecticut pushed their lead to 3-0, in the fifth on Soteropoulos’ second RBI of the day to score Dan Trubia (Tolland, CT).
Hartford would cut the lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the sixth with a solo home run to center by Ron Acabbo. UConn would add two insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth on an RBI by Mike Mocerino (Northboro, MA) to score Brett Burnham (South Windsor, CT) and a wild pitch that scored Bryan Maler for the 5-1 advantage. UConn would close the door from there as Mike James (Roswell, GA) and Brendan McGinn (Tolland, CT) pitched three scoreless innings of relief.
Smeraglino picks up his second win of the season, while Hartford’s Kyle Valentine picks up the tough loss as he pitched eight innings, allowing five runs, four earned on five hits and striking out six.
UConn continues non-conference action on the road Thursday at Central Connecticut. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
