University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
Pittsburgh
Huskies Drop First BIG EAST Contest To Pittsburgh, 4-0
3/27/2011 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 27, 2011
STORRS, Conn. - LJ Mazzilli (Greenwich, Conn.), Nick Ahmed (East Longmeadow, Mass.) and Billy Ferriter (Nashua, N.H.) were the only Huskies able to post a hit today, as the University of Connecticut baseball team fell to Pittsburgh, 4-0. The loss was the first in the BIG EAST for the Huskies, as they are now 10-10-1 overall and 2-1 in conference play, while the Panthers improve to 13-8 and 1-2 in the BIG EAST.
The Panthers were able to get out to an early 1-0 lead after the first inning as Zach Duggan scored on a Kevan Smith single through the right side after reaching base on a UConn error.
As the lead off batter for the Huskies in the first inning, Mazzilli hit a single to left field, and tried for two, but was thrown out at second base after the Panthers' left fielder made a great throw to the infield. Through the next two innings UConn was able to get just one runner on base, as Pittsburgh tallied two more runs in the top of the third to take a 3-0 lead.
Once again the lead off batter for the Huskies was able to get on base in the bottom of the fourth, as Ahmed singled to second base. Ahmed advanced to second on a wild pitch and went to third on a George Springer (New Britian, Conn.) foul out, but was stranded as the next Husky to the plate grounded out to third base.
Pittsburgh's final run of the game came in the top of the fifth after Will Jolin (Guilford, Conn.) walked two Panthers and a Husky error was made on a throw to second base. UConn posted three straight outs in the bottom of the fifth, before Ferriter singled in the sixth. The Huskies would be in scoring position again in the bottom of the sixth after they loaded the bases with Ferriter's single, and two walks but they were unable to capitalize on the situation and posted the third out of the inning before any Huskies crossed the plate.
Just two UConn batters would reach base throughout the final three innings, as Pittsburgh earned the 4-0 victory in the final game of the weekend series.
Greg Nappo (Madison, Conn.) picked up the loss for Connecticut, pitching 3.1 innings and allowing three hits and three runs, while Pittsburgh's Matt Wotherspoon earned the victory.
UConn returns to action on Tuesday (March 29) when the Huskies travel to Hartford for a non-conference game. The Huskies and the Hawks will take the field for a 3:00 p.m. contest in West Hartford, Conn.
