University of Connecticut Athletics
Karl Powers Baseball Past UMass, 8-5
5/8/2007 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
AMHERST, Mass. (May 8, 2007) — University of Connecticut junior designated hitter Matt Karl’s (Wallingford, Conn.) three-run home run to left field in the top of the ninth inning broke open a deadlocked game as the Huskies prevailed, 8-5, over Massachusetts Tuesday afternoon at Earl Lorden Field.
Karl, who also serves as the team’s closer, came on to pitch a scoreless bottom of the ninth inning to earn his eighth save of the season. In fact, Karl struck out the side to preserve the win for the Huskies.
UConn (23-23) started the top of the ninth inning with a strikeout and a groundout, but the Huskies used a two-out rally en route to the victory. Senior shortstop Dennis Donovan (Center Moriches, N.Y.) reached base with a double down the left field line. Fellow senior Matt Untiet (Berlin, Conn.) drew a walk to safely reach base for the fourth time of the afternoon. After a UMass pitching change, Karl deposited the 3-1 pitch from reliever Chris Lloyd over the left field wall.
Husky senior reliever Ted Garry (Rochester, Minn.) earned the win in relief after allowing one run on three hits in two innings of work. UConn starter Erik Turgeon (Palm Harbor, Fla.) pitched the first six innings and yielded four runs on 10 hits while striking out three.
Ryan Walczak (0-3) was charged with the loss after being touched for two runs on three hits in 2-1/3 innings of mound duty. UMass starter Mitchell Eilenberg surrendered five runs on six hits while striking out three in 6-1/3 innings of work.
Massachusetts (18-21) grabbed an early 2-0 lead as first baseman Bryan Adamski connected for a two-run home run to left-centerfield in the bottom of the first inning. Second baseman Adam Tempesta, who singled to center field with two outs, came around to score on the play.
Connecticut answered with a pair of runs in the top of the second inning to even the score at two runs apiece. Untiet laced a one-out double down the right field line and advanced to third on an error charged to right fielder Brian Baudinet. After Karl walked to put runners on the corners, Untiet scored on the following play as the Minutemen were unable to field sophomore Matt Burnett’s (Endicott, N.Y.) sacrifice bunt attempt cleanly. Husky freshman center fielder Harold Brantley Jr. (Silver Spring, Md.) accounted for the final run as he plated Karl from second with a two-out RBI single to right field.
Untiet gave the Huskies a 3-2 lead in the top of the fifth inning when he singled home freshman left fielder Pete Fatse (Hampden, Mass.) from second base. Fatse opened the inning by reaching on an error charged to shortstop Lou Proietti, before moving to second when sophomore second baseman Dale Brannon (St. Petersburg, Fla.) successfully laid down a sacrifice bunt. Three batters later, Untiet delivered a two-out single to right field for his 21st RBI of the season.
The Minutemen regained the lead in the bottom of the sixth inning on RBI singles from catcher Bryan Garrity and right fielder Travis Munsey. In the top of the seventh inning, however, Donovan hit a two-run home run to left-center field to score both himself and fellow senior Larry Day (Amesbury, Mass.) with the go-ahead run. Adamski eventually tied the game at five runs apiece in the bottom of the seventh with an RBI double down the left field line.
UConn returns to the diamond Wednesday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. as the Huskies travel to Central Connecticut State to take on the Blue Devils.
Connecticut 8, Massachusetts 5 (May 08, 2007 at Amherst, Mass.)
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Connecticut......... 020 010 203 - 8 10 1 (23-23)
Massachusetts....... 200 002 100 - 5 14 3 (18-21)
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Pitchers: Connecticut - TURGEON, Erik; GARRY, Ted(7); KARL, Matt(9). Massachusetts - Eilenberg;
Walczak(7); Lloyd(9).
Win-GARRY, Ted(2-4) Save-KARL, Matt(8) Loss-Walczak(0-3) T-2:51 pm A-83
HR UCONN - DONOVAN, Dennis; KARL, Matt.
HR UM - Adamski (4).
Game notes:
ID-506964
Game: CONN0508
-UCONN-
