University of Connecticut Athletics
Huskies Split Doubleheader With Fairfield
4/20/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Game 1 Boxscores
Game 2 Boxscores
STORRS, CT (April 20) – The Huskies got a pair of solid starts from Josh MacDonald (Milford, CT) and Rich Sirois (Ipswich, MA), but were only able to earn a split of Tuesday's doubleheader with instate foe Fairfield. The Huskies earned a 2-1 victory in Game 1 and dropped a 4-3 decision in Game 2 at J.O. Christian Field in Storrs. With the split, the Huskies remain at .500 on the season with an 18-18 mark, while Fairfield stands at 10-15 on the year.
The doubleheader consisted of two seven inning contests, as the teams were playing a make up game that was rained out on April 1 in addition to the game that was originally scheduled for April 20.
Sophomore outfielder Kyle Messineo (Cedar Grove, NJ) was the hero of Game 1. After Fairfield knotted the game up at one run a piece in the sixth inning, the Huskies loaded the bases in the home half of the seventh. Tim Dempsey (Lexington, MA) hit a one out single up the middle to get the Huskies started and Dennis Donovan (Center Moriches, NY) followed that up with a single into centerfield.
Senior tri-captain Dave Tokarz (Seymour, CT) then entered the game to pinch hit and was promptly hit by a pitch to load the bases. That set the stage for Messineo to drill a line drive over the head of the drawn in left fielder, scoring the winning run.
Josh MacDonald was solid in his starting stint for the Huskies. The sophomore right hander went the full seven innings, surrendering only one run on five hits while striking out four.
The first four batters in the Husky lineup paced the offense this afternoon, Messineo, Marc Peluso (Pawcatuck, CT) Russ D’Argento (Marlboro, MA) and Mike Leonard (Vernon, CT) went a collective 4-for-11 with one run scored and one RBI.
Game 2 saw Fairfield score a run in each of the first three innings, but Sirois would settle down as the freshman lefty gave up only one more unearned run for the remainder of the game. Sirois ended up going the distance, and giving up three earned runs on seven hits.
The Huskies tied the game up at three in the bottom half of the third on Russ D'Argento's two-run bomb over the left field fence. Peluso had singled into right field with D'Argento on deck, setting up the two run blast.
Fairfield would score the eventual winning run in the top half of the seventh inning. The Stags got the leadoff man aboard when Sirois was pulled off first base as he was attempting to cover. Tom Aprino then laid down a sac bunt and Fairfield was able to push its runner over to third on a ground out.
The Stags plated the winning run on a single into right field off the bat of Tom Sheridan.
UConn is back in action on Thursday, April 22 when they take on Quinnipiac. Game time is set for 3:00 p.m. in Storrs.
