University of Connecticut Athletics
Four-Run Ninth Lifts Baseball Over Northeastern, 8-7
5/7/2007 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
BOSTON, Mass. (May 5, 2007) — The University of Connecticut baseball team rallied for four runs in the top of the ninth inning to erase a two-run deficit en route to an 8-7 win over Northeastern Monday afternoon at Parsons Field/Friedman Diamond.
UConn (22-23) used a pair of round-trippers in the final inning to complete the comeback. Senior right fielder Josh Farkes (Boston, Mass.) opened the inning with a single to left field before freshman left fielder Pete Fatse (Hampden, Mass.) drove him in with a one-out double to left-centerfield. Sophomore second baseman Dale Brannon (St. Petersburg, Fla.) drove in two runs as he belted his first career home run. Senior catcher Larry Day (Amesbury, Mass.) followed with his third home run of the year to account for the game-winning run.
Northeastern (21-18) answered with a run in the bottom of the ninth on an RBI double from designated hitter Dan Milano, but Husky junior closer Matt Karl (Wallingford, Conn.) came on to retire the final two batters via strikeout to earn his seventh save of the season.
Husky senior Brendan McGinn (Tolland, Conn.) won his seventh straight decision to improve to 7-1 after allowing four runs on seven hits while striking out seven in 5-1/3 innings of work. UConn weekend starters Mike Tarsi (Danbury, Conn.), Dusty Odenbach (Rochester, N.Y.) and Greg Nappo (Madison, Conn.) each worked an inning due to the long layoff.
Northeastern reliever Frank Compagnone (0-1) suffered the loss despite pitching just 2/3 of an inning.
Day put the Huskies ahead 1-0 in the top of the first inning as he delivered an RBI single to score Fatse. Northeastern scored the next six runs to take a 6-1 lead, but the Huskies struck for three runs in the top of the fifth inning to get right back in the game. Sophomore Erik Turgeon (Palm Harbor, Fla.) drew a one-out walk before freshman center fielder Harold Brantley Jr. (Silver Spring, Md.) connected for his second home run of the season. Brannon later added an RBI single for his first of three RBIs for the game.
UConn returns to action Tuesday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. when the Huskies travel to UMass.
