University of Connecticut Athletics
UConn and Rutgers Split Double Header
5/3/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Rutgers 5, Connecticut 3
Rutgers 0 0 1 0 0 3 1 - 5 6 1
Connecticut 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 - 3 5 0
C: Nick Tucci and Mike Leonard. R: Jack Egbert, Sean Atchison (6) and Alberto Vasquez. Win- Egbert (7-3). Loss - Tucci (3-6). Save - Atchison (2). 3B - Mike Mocerino (C), Dan Trubia (C).
Rutgers 7, Connecticut 10
Rutgers (25-15, 14-4) 3 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 - 7 10 2
Connecticut (21-20, 8-13) 0 0 1 2 0 5 0 2 x - 10 11 2
C: Tim Norton, Bob Barton (5), Mike James (8) and Tyler Stefkovich. R: Shaun Parker, Bobby Acompora (6), OJ Dechristofano (6), Chris Lillis (8) and Alberto Vasquez. Win - Barton (4-1). Loss - Parker (2-2). Save - James (10). 2B - Russ D’Argento (C), Brett Burnham (C), Matt Wolski (R), Jeff Fraizer (R), Nick Cerulo (R), Alberto Vasquez (R). 3B - Matt Wolski (R), Vinny Esposito (R).
STORRS, CT - (May 3) The University of Connecticut baseball team earned a double header split over Rutgers on Saturday, afternoon at J.O. Christian Field, losing game one 5-3, and coming back to win game two 10-7. The split moves the Huskies record to 22-21 on the season and 8-13 in the BIG EAST, while Rutgers goes to 25-15 overall and 14-4 in the conference.
Game one saw Rutgers take a 1-0 lead in the top of the third on a groundout RBI by Jeff Grose to score Mike Bionde. UConn would even the game in the bottom of the fourth on a Peter Soteropoulos (Peabody, MA) single to score Russ D’Argento (Marlboro, MA), who led of the inning with a single.
Rutgers would regain the lead in the top of the sixth with three runs on a sacrifice fly from Nick Cerulo, an RBI single by Bionde and a wild pitch to score Steve Normane. The Huskies would rally in the bottom of the inning. Dan Trubia (Tolland, CT) led off the inning with a triple to right center. With one out Tony Mallozzi (Westboro, MA) placed a perfect bunt for a single and an RBI to score Trubia. Soteropoulos walked and Brett Burnham (South Windsor, CT) reached on a fielder’s choice to load the bases, but UConn would not take advantage of the situation. The Scarlet Knights would add an insurance run in the seventh with an RBI single by Jeff Fraizer and UConn would push one across in the bottom of the inning on a wild pitch to score Mike Mocerino (Northboro, MA) for the 5-3 final.
Picking up the win for Rutgers’ in game one was Jack Egbert, his seventh of the season and the save goes to Sean Atchison. Nick Tucci (Medford, MA) picks up the loss for the Huskies.
Rutgers came out swinging hot bats to start game two, scoring three runs in the top of the first. After a leadoff walk, Matt Wolski tripled for a 1-0 lead. Frazier and Cerulo followed with RBI doubles for a 3-0 lead. The Huskies put up one run in the third on a Soteropoulos single to left field to bring home D’Argento. The Scarlet Knights would get the run right back in the fourth with an RBI by Alberto Vasquez.
UConn would not go away though, with two runs in the bottom of the fourth. Mocerino led off with a single and then scored after three wild pitches. With two outs, Trubia walked, Tyler Stefkovich (Westport, CT) singled and an RBI double by D’Argento to score Trubia brought the score to 4-3. The Scarlet Knights would add single runs in the fifth and sixth on an RBI by Vinny Esposito and an RBI single by Vasquez to take a 6-3 lead.
The flood gates then opened for UConn as they plated five runs in the bottom of the sixth. The rally for the Huskies began with one on and two outs on a D’Argento single and Tim Dempsey (Lexington, MA) being hit by a pitch to load the bases. Soteropoulos then singled to right and an error by the right fielder cleared the bases leaving Soteropoulos on third. Burnham reached after being hit by a pitch and then advanced to second on a wild pitch that also scored Soteropoulos. Mocerino singled to score Burnham and give UConn the 8-6 advantage.
Rutgers would add one in the eighth with an RBI by Cerulo to cut the lead to one. The Huskies put the finishing touches on in the eighth with two runs on a two run single by Trubia that brought home Burnham and Maler. In the eighth Burnham was hit by a pitch for the second time and is now tied for third on the NCAA Division I career hit by pitch leaders with 74.
Bob Barton (Carlisle, MA) picks up the win for the Huskies in relief and Mike James (Roswell, GA) picks up his single season UConn record setting 10th save. Shaun Parker picks up the loss for Rutgers.
The Huskies and Scarlet Knights will meet tomorrow at J.O. Christian Field for the final game of the series. First pitch is scheduled for 12 noon.
