University of Connecticut Athletics
Georgetown Rallies To Stun Baseball, 5-2
4/29/2007 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
STORRS, Conn. (April 29, 2007) — Georgetown rallied for four runs in the top of the ninth inning to erase a one run deficit en route to a stunning, 5-2, victory over the University of Connecticut baseball team Sunday afternoon in the final game of a three-game BIG EAST series from J.O. Christian Field.
UConn (21-23, 6-12 BIG EAST) held a 2-1 lead entering the ninth inning behind another strong pitching performance from freshman Greg Nappo (Madison, Conn.). Nappo, who earned a no decision, held the Georgetown offense to just one run on three hits while striking out a career-high six batters in 7-2/3 innings of work.
In the top of the ninth inning, Georgetown designated hitter Joseph Graziano drew a walk to open the inning. On the following play, the Hoyas put runners on the corners with nobody out as the Husky infield was unable to cleanly field right fielder Kelly Muir’s sacrifice bunt attempt. Graziano then scored the game-tying run as he was rewarded home after UConn closer Matt Karl (Wallingford, Conn.) was charged with a balk. After Muir stole third base, the Hoyas took their first lead of the game as first baseman Greg Pustizzi successfully laid down a suicide squeeze bunt. Georgetown would tack on RBI singles from third baseman Joe Silvestri and center fielder Mark McLaughlin to account for the final two runs.
Reliever Daniel Kennedy pitched the bottom half of the ninth inning and worked around two UConn hits to earn his eighth save of the season. Mark Dutmers (2-2) worked on 1/3 of an inning to earn the win.
Karl (0-2) was charged with the loss after giving up four runs (two earned) on two hits an inning of mound duty.
The Huskies took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning as senior shortstop Dennis Donovan (Center Moriches, N.Y.) tallied his team-leading 29th RBI of the season. Freshman left fielder Pete Fatse (Hampden, Mass.) was hit by a pitch and then took third as sophomore second baseman Dale Brannon (St. Petersburg, Fla.) singled through the right side with the hit-and-run on. After senior catcher Larry Day (Amesbury, Mass.) walked to load the bases, Donovan lifted the ball to deep center field to plate Fatse.
McLaughlin evened the score at one run apiece as he drove home Silvestri with a sacrifice fly into right field.
Senior first baseman Matt Untiet (Berlin, Conn.) put the Huskies back ahead in the bottom of the sixth inning as he laced a line drive home run over the right field wall for his second round-tripper of the season and the team’s first at J.O. Christian Field. Both Untiet and Brannon led the Huskies at the plate as the duo turned in 2-for-4 performances.
UConn returns to action May 7 at 2:00 p.m. as the Huskies travel to Northeastern for a makeup game originally scheduled to be played Mar. 20.
Georgetown 5, Connecticut 2 (Apr 29, 2007 at Storrs, Conn.)
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Georgetown.......... 000 010 004 - 5 5 1 (16-28, 5-13)
Connecticut......... 001 001 000 - 2 8 1 (21-23, 6-12)
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Pitchers: Georgetown - SARIS; BENDER(8); DUTMERS(8); KENNEDY(9). Connecticut - NAPPO, Greg;
ERICKSON, David(8); KARL, Matt(9).
Win-DUTMERS(2-2) Save-KENNEDY(8) Loss-KARL, Matt(0-2) T-2:34 A-193
HR UCONN - UNTIET, Matt (2).
Game notes:
ID-498627
SARIS faced 1 batter in the 8th.
Game: CONN0429
-UCONN-
