University of Connecticut Athletics
Farkes Hits Three-Run Blast To Defeat Rutgers 7-4
5/19/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
STORRS, Conn. (May 19, 2006) – With the game tied at four in the bottom of the seventh inning, junior Josh Farkes (Boston, Mass.) hit his third home run in two days to capture the lead and the game as Connecticut defeated Rutgers, 7-4. Farkes’ three-run tape measure blast over the center field wall extended the Huskies’ standard-breaking record to 37-16-1 overall and 17-6-1 in BIG EAST play. Rutgers now drops to 27-25-1 overall and 13-13-1 in the conference.
Senior Bryan Maler (Ansonia, Conn.) reached first on a bunt to put the first runner on base in the bottom of the seventh inning. Junior Dennis Donovan (Center Morishes, N.Y.) was hit by a pitch during his at-bat to move Maler into scoring position. Farkes stepped to the plate with one out and two men on and drove a three-run home run over the wall to put the Huskies ahead.
The Huskies fell behind early as Rutgers took a 4-3 lead in the top of the third. Mike Bionde led the inning off with a walk. Todd Frazier followed with the team’s second home run of the game to record two RBI and take the lead.
UConn would remain behind until the fifth inning when Donovan singled to right field to score Maler and tie the game at four.
Both teams scored two runs in the first inning. Rutgers led off the inning with a double to left field by Jeff Grose. Bionde followed with sacrifice bunt that moved Grose to third. A home run by Rich Hill scored Grose and gave the Scarlet Knights a 2-0 lead.
In the home-half of the inning, UConn tied the score with two runs on three hits. Junior Matt Untiet (Berlin, Conn.) was the first to cross the plate on a single up the middle by Maler. Sophomore Pat Mahoney (Des Moines, Iowa) scored the Huskies’ second run to tie the game.
UConn and Rutgers will play the final game of the series and the regular season at noon on Saturday. Saturday’s game will also be senior day for the Huskies. The Hartford Courant careerbuilder.com senior salute will honor seniors Tim Norton (Pascoag, R.I.), Nick Tucci (Medford, Mass.), Joe Smeraglino (Shelton, Conn.), John Slusarz (Farmington, Conn.), Bryan Maler (Ansonia, Conn.), Austin Wasserman, (Nashua, N.H.), Joshua MacDonald (Milford, Conn.) and Steven Malinowski (Kensington, Conn.).
Score by Innings R H E
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RUTGERS............. 202 000 000 - 4 9 2
Connecticut......... 210 010 30X - 7 12 0
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E - FRAZIER; QUERNS. DP - RUTGERS 1. LOB - RUTGERS 8; Connecticut 11. 2B - GROSE; DAY; MAHONEY; BRANNON. HR - FRAZIER; R.; FARKES. HBP - WASSERMAN; UNTIET; MALER 2; DONOVAN. SH - BIONDE; QUERNS; CEGLES. SF - FRAZIER. CS - MALER.
