University of Connecticut Athletics
Huskies Split With West Virginia
5/22/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Game 1 Box Scores
Game 2 Box Scores
STORRS, CT (May 22) — After dropping Game 1 of Saturday’s doubleheader, 4-1, with BIG EAST foe West Virginia, the University of Connecticut baseball team came back in dramatic fashion to take a 6-5 decision in Game 2. With the victory, the Huskies move to 25-28 on the season and 9-16 in BIG EAST play. The Mountaineers now stand at 22-29 overall and 9-16 in conference.
The Huskies retired the numbers of former head coaches J.O. Christian #17, Larry Panciera #35, and Andy Baylock #29 in a ceremony held prior to Game 2 of today’s doubleheader. All three numbers now hang on the left field wall.
Marc Peluso (Pawcatuck, CT) drove in the game-winning run when he hit a single through the right sided with the bases loaded in Game 2.
The Huskies took a 2-0 lead after the third inning of Game 2 and starter Mike James looked as if he would make those two runs hold up. In his final start as a husky, James one hit the Mountaineers into the eighth inning. However, West Virginia got to James in the eighth. James gave up a lead off walk in the eighth and Travis D’Amico followed that up with a single into left. Jake Serfass advanced both runners with a sac bunt, but Grant Psomas failed to get a run in when he popped out to shallow right. However, Curtis Clinton erased that blunder when he hit a two out, three run homer over the left field wall, giving West Virginia its first lead of the day, 3-2. They would add another run in the frame to take a 4-2 edge after eight.
The Huskies would answer in dramatic fashion in the home half. After Tony Mallozzi (Westboro, MA) drew a walk, Marc Peluso (Pawcatuck, CT) drove him in on a triple down the left field line. Dave Tokarz (Seymour, CT) then drilled a two out two run homer over the left field fence to give the Huskies a 5-4 lead heading into the ninth.
West Virginia would plate a run in the top of the ninth, but Joe Smeraglino (Shelton, CT) worked out of a bases loaded jam when he got Grant Posomas to ground into an inning ending double play to set up Peluso’s heroics.
Peluso went 3-for-5 with a double and a triple in Game 2 with three RBI and one run scored. Tim Dempsey (Lexington, MA) went 3-for-4 with an RBI. James ended up going 7.2 innings and gave up four runs on six hits while striking out two. Smeraglino came in and pitched 1.1 innings and surrendered one run on four hits and collected his fourth win of the season.
The Huskies got yet another solid outing from junior starter Jeff Hourigan (Beacon Falls, CT). Hourigan hurled his team-high seventh complete game of the season, giving up four runs (three earned) on six hits while striking out seven. He was bested by West Virginia hurler Zac Cline. The southpaw also went the distance and gave up only one run on five hits.
West Virginia took the lead for good in the second. After Hourigan got two quick outs, David Carpenter hit a double down the left field line and scored on Travis D’Amico’s single into left. Hourigan ended the threat when he got Grant Psomas to look at strike three.
The Mountaineers would extend the lead to 2-0 in the third. Hourigan once again got two quick outs in the third frame, but Kyle Matuszek laid down a bunt single and advanced to second on a throwing error. Matuszek then stole third base and scored on Doug Nelms’ single through the left side.
The Huskies would answer with a run of their own in the third, cutting the Mountaineer lead in half. Dennis Donovan (Center Moriches, NY) led off the frame with a single into right and Kyle Messineo (Cedar Grove, NJ) followed that up with a walk. Both runners moved up 90 feet on Russ D’Argento’s (Marlboro, MA) sacrifice bunt and Donovan came around to score on Tony Mallozzi’s (Westboro, MA) sac fly to center.
UConn was unable to plate any more runs though and West Virginia added two insurance runs in the top half of the seventh.
Senior Mike Leonard (Vernon, CT) went 1-for-2 with a walk in his return to the lineup.
The Huskies are back in action for their record 56th and final game of the 2004 season. The Huskies once again take on West Virginia in the rubber game of this three game set. Game time is set for 12:00 pm and senior day festivities will precede the the contest.
