Marzi Shuts Down Seton Hall in Weekend Finale, 7-1

Sunday, April 1

Storrs, Conn.

11:45 AM

University of Connecticut

Seton Hall

4/1/2012 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

April 1, 2012

Final Stats

STORRS, Conn. - Sophomore left-hander Anthony Marzi (Berlin, Conn.) allowed just one run one two hits in seven inning pitched to move to 2-4 on the season as the University of Connecticut baseball team defeated Seton Hall, 7-1, in the series finale at J.O. Christian Field, Sunday afternoon. Prior to that game, the Pirates finished off the Huskies for a 10-6 win, in a game that started on Friday night before being suspended due to darkness.

UConn lifted its record to 14-12 on the season and 5-1 in the BIG EAST. The Huskies had their seven game win streak snapped with the game two loss, while SHU's record now stands at 13-14 and 2-4.

"It all starts with the guy on the bump, we say that all the time. Anthony [Marzi] was sensational," head coach Jim Penders said after the win. "He did a great job. We needed him to go deep into the game and he did just that."

Seton Hall scored in the top of the first without recording a hit. Senior center fielder Will Walsh led-off the game with a walk and was replaced at first base by junior second baseman Mike Genovese on a failed sacrifice bunt attempt. With two outs, senior right fielder Dale Anderson lifted a fly ball to right center field. UConn right fielder Stanley Paul (Stamford, Conn.) tracked the ball down, but it popped out of his glove, falling for an error as Genovese scored from first.

In the bottom half of the first, redshirt-junior center fielder Billy Ferriter (Nashua, N.H.) continued to stay sharp at the plate with a lead-off double down the right field line. Ferriter moved up to third on a fly ball to left and scored on a passed ball to tie the game. For the series, Ferriter batted .750 (9-12) with four runs, three RBI and three doubles.

"[Ferriter] is seeing the ball really well," Penders said of the team's lead-off hitter. "He's got confidence and with confidence comes a really good approach at the plate."

Freshman left fielder Eric Yavarone (North Haven, Conn.) hit an infield single to third with one out for Connecticut in the fifth. Ferriter was hit by a pitch and senior second baseman Tim Martin (Stratford, Conn.) drove in Yavarone from second with the go-ahead run on a bloop single to right.

After a conference on the mound, freshman third baseman Jon Testani (Monroe, Conn.) lined his first career homerun, on the very next pitch, over the left field wall, pushing the Huskies' lead to 5-1.

Connecticut added two more runs in the eighth as redshirt-senior catcher Joe Pavone (Rochester, N.Y.) went deep for a two-run homer to left, his second of the season.

Sophomore righty Brian Gilbert (1-3) took the loss for Seton Hall, allowing five runs on nine hits in six innings, while striking out three.

Junior right-handers Dan Feehan (Nashua, N.H.) and Scott Oberg (Tewksbury, Mass.) each pitched an inning of relief to preserve the win for Marzi.

During the conclusion of game two, junior second baseman LJ Mazzilli (Greenwich, Conn.) was pulled, ending his career-long hitting streak at 15 games. Sophomore lefty Brian Ward (Milford, Conn.) took the loss for UConn, dropping to 3-2, while SHU junir Ryan Harvey improved to 2-2 with the win.

The Huskies are back in action tomorrow afternoon with a road game at Massachusetts as 3:00 pm and again on Tuesday at Boston College, again at 3:00.