University of Connecticut Athletics
Connecticut Drops a Pair of Games to Rutgers
4/17/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Game 1 Boxscores
Game 2 Boxscores
PISCATAWAY, NJ (April 17) -- The Huskies were unable to capitalize on several scoring chances in both games on Saturday and dropped both games of Saturday's double-header with BIG EAST foe Rutgers. UConn fell 5-1 in Game 1 and then lost Game 2 by a 5-3 score in Piscataway, N.J. With the losses the Huskies slip to 17-16 on the season and 5-7 in BIG EAST play. The Scarlet Knights improve to 19-13, 10-2 in the loop.
Rutgers mounted a two out rally in the third inning of Game 1 as the Scarlet Knights scored three runs. Jason Grover lined a 2-2 fastball into centerfield, scoring two runs and Jeff Gross followed that up with a seeing-eye single up the middle, just past Husky shortstop Dennis Donovan.
The Huskies answered after Larry Day (Amesbury, MA), Dennis Donovan (Center Moriches, NY), and Kyle Messineo (Cedar Grove, NJ) hit back-to-back-to-back one out singles. UConn was unable to capitalize though, as Tony Mallozzi (Westboro, MA) grounded into a double-play ending the threat.
UConn would threaten again in the top half of the sixth. Messineo led off the inning with a single into centerfield and Mallozzi followed that up with a hot shot single off the shortstop's glove. Rutgers starter Jack Egbert got Russ D'Argento (Marlboro, MA) to ground into a 5-5-3 double play, but Mike Leonard (Vernon, CT) lined a single into centerfield scoring Mallozzi from second and the Huskies drew to within two runs.
Rutgers would pull away in the home half of the sixth, as the Scarlet Knights posted a pair of runs and the Huskies were unable to respond in the seventh.
Jeff Hourigan (Beacon Falls, CT) threw a complete game for the Huskies, going six innings and allowing five runs on six hits. Hourigan drops to 4-3 this season.
Egbert pitched a beauty, going the full seven innings and allowing one run on eight hits while fanning five Huskies. Egbert now improves to 6-1 on the season.
Messineo and Day each went 2-for-3 for the Huskies in Game 1.
Rutgers would plate three runs in the first inning of Game 2, building an early 3-0 lead. UConn would answer with one run in the top half of the second inning. The Huskies’ first two batters went down by way of the K, but Mike McDonough (Abington, MA) and Brian Maloney (Hampton, NH) drew walks and after a ten-pitch at bat, Dennis Donovan hit a hard grounder to short. The Scarlet Knight shortstop could not handle it though, and Mike McDonough came around to score, shrinking Rutgers’ lead to 3-1.
The Huskies would cut the lead to 3-2 in the top of the fifth when Russ D’Argento drew a two out walk, and Mike Leonard followed that up with a bloop single into left center field scoring D’Argento. Incidentally, Leonard’s RBI single in the fifth, was the Huskies’ first of the game.
Connecticut would make some noise once again in the sixth, scoring one run to tie the score at three. Marc Peluso (Pawcatuck, CT) started the inning off with a bunt single and Mike McDonough managed an infield hit. Donovan then hit a one out single through the left side scoring Peluso and the runners advanced to second and third on an errant throw by the left fielder. However, the Huskies were unable to push any other runs across, as Mallozzi struck out and D’Argento grounded out to third.
Rutgers answered when Jeff Gross served a two out RBI single into left field, giving Rutgers a 4-3 edge it would not relinquish.
