University of Connecticut Athletics
Baseball Crushes Hartford, 20-2
4/26/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
SIMSBURY, Conn. (April 26, 2005) – The University of Connecticut baseball team scored a run in each inning but the ninth as the Huskies defeated in-state foe Hartford by a score of 20-2 on Tuesday evening at Memorial Field in Simsbury, Conn. UConn’s 20 runs came on 22 hits, both season-high figures, and the 18 runs is the largest margin of victory since the Huskies beat Quinnipiac by 21 (26-5) on April 22, 2004. Connecticut is now 25-17 this season, while Hartford moves to 5-17.
Junior Austin Wasserman (Nashua, N.H.), after leading off with a walk, scored in the top of the first on a double by senior Jeff Hourigan (Beacon Falls, Conn.) to give the Huskies an early 1-0 lead.
Hartford quickly scored in the bottom of the inning, notching two runs to move the score to 2-1. That would be the last time the Hawks would cross home though, as junior starter John Slusarz (Farmington, Conn.) shut them out the next six innings, allowing just three hits. Slusarz registered the win to move to 4-1 this season, with two runs on six hits, six strikeouts and three walks in seven innings.
Sophomore Josh Farkes (Boston, Mass.) again led off the second inning with a walk and took advantage of the free pass, coming around to score to knot the game at 2-2. Farkes stole second and moved to third on a fly out by Larry Day (Amesbury, Mass.). He then came home on a wild pitch.
With two outs in the third, freshman Vin DiFazio (Hampton, N.J.) stuck out swinging but reached first on an error by the catcher. The error would prove costly as Farkes, in the next at-bat, singled to left-center. Day then blasted a double to the left-field wall to score DiFazio and Farkes and move UConn ahead 4-2.
The Huskies added three more runs in the fourth to increase the score to 7-2. Freshman Pat Mahoney (Des Moines, Iowa) reached base on another lead-off walk, and moved to second on a bunt single by Wasserman. D’Argento then doubled to left to bring home Mahoney. Mallozzi reached on an error by the first baseman, with Wasserman scoring from third on the play. The final UConn run of the inning scored when D’Argento came home while Mallozzi was in a run down between first and second.
Three more UConn runs scored in the fifth to push the lead to eight at 10-2. With one out, sophomore Dennis Donovan (Center Moriches, N.Y.) and Mahoney reached on singles. Wasserman then brought home Donovan on a sac fly to center field, followed by D’Argento knocking a double to right to score Mahoney. Mallozzi then sliced a double as D’Argento crossed the plate for the Huskies’ third run of the inning.
The Huskies brought home seven more in the sixth, moving the score to 17-2 as the team batted around. The inning was highlighted by two two-run hits. Mahoney singled to center with the bases loaded to score Farkes and Day. With one out, D’Argento then slammed his third double of the game to bring home Donovan and Mahoney.
UConn added two more runs in the seventh and one more in the eighth for a final score of 20-2. In the seventh, junior Bryan Maler (Ansonia, Conn.) drove in freshman David Muscatello (Hopkinton, Mass.). Maler then scored when Mallozzi hit his third double of the game. Muscatello then notched an RBI when he singled to right in the eighth to score Farkes for the final Husky run.
Freshman southpaw Mike Tarsi (Danbury, Conn.) came in to pitch the final two innings and stuck out an outstanding five of six batters faced to close out the game.
Four Huskies finished with three hits in the game (D'Argento, Mallozzi, Hourigan and Mahoney). D'Argento also had four RBI with three runs scored. Farkes scored four times and Mahoney notched three runs. Mallozzi also drove in four runs. Overall, UConn out-hit Hartford 22-6, and the Huskies did not commit an error while the Hawks had five.
Connecticut will next play Thursday, April 28 at Manhattan. The game will begin at 4:00 p.m.
