University of Connecticut Athletics
Connecticut Drops Final Game to Rutgers
5/4/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Connecticut 5, Rutgers 7
Rutgers (26-15, 15-4) 0 0 0 2 1 0 1 3 0 7 13 2
Connecticut (22-22, 8-15) 1 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 5 12 0
C: Peter Soteropoulos, Joe Smeraglino (5), Erik Drown (7), Mike James (8) and Mike Leonard. R: Matt Pustay, Aaron Kalb (4), Sean Atchison (7) and Colin Gaynor. Win - Atchison (4-1). Loss - Drown (3-6). 2B- Bryan Maler 2 (C), Dan Trubia (C), Jeff Frazier (R), Nick Cerulo (R), Vinny Esposito (R). HR - Peter Soteropoulos (C).
STORRS, CT (May 4) - The University of Connecticut dropped the final game of the three game series 7-5, to Rutgers on Sunday, afternoon at J.O. Christian Field. The loss drops the Huskies record to 22-22 overall and 8-14 in the BIG EAST, while Rutgers improves to 26-15 on the season and 15-4 in the conference.
The Huskies opened up the scoring in the bottom of the first on a Peter Soteropoulos (Peabody, MA) solo home run to left field for a 1-0 lead. UConn would add to their lead with two runs in the second. Bryan Maler (Ansonia, CT) led off the inning with a double to left and Trubia followed with a double of his own to score Maler. An RBI bunt by Tony Mallozzi (Westboro, MA) brought home Trubia for the 3-0 advantage.
Rutgers would get on the board in the top of the fourth with two runs. Colin Gaynor started the scoring with an RBI line out to center to score Vinny Esposito from second base. Nick Cerulo followed with an RBI double to make the score 3-2. The Scarlet Knights tied the game in the top of the fifth on an RBI single from Steve Normane.
Connecticut went back in front 4-3, in the bottom of the fifth with a sacrifice fly by Brett Burnham (South Windsor, CT) to score Mallozzi, who led of the inning with a single. The Scarlet Knights would tie the game back up at 4-4, in the top of the seventh with an RBI by Gaynor.
The Huskies would go back on top with a single run in the bottom of the seventh with an RBI single by Burnham to score Mallozzi. Rutgers would answer in the top of the eighth and take their first lead with three runs. An RBI single by Cory Rodriguez and a two run double by Esposito made the score 7-5. UConn would load the bases with nobody out in the bottom of the eighth, with a walk to Dan Trubia (Tolland, CT), a single by Marc Peluso (Pawcatuck, CT), and Mallozzi reaching on an error, but the Huskies would strand all three.
The winning pitcher for Rutgers was Sean Atchison with 2.1 scoreless innings of relief, while Erik Drown (Ipswich, MA) picks up the loss for UConn.
UConn will return to action on Tuesday, in a double header against Brown at Dodd Stadium in Norwich, CT. First pitch for game one is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.
