West Hartford, CT - The University of Hartford baseball team dropped a 7-5 decision to the Sacred Heart Pioneers in a home contest on Friday afternoon. The Hawks are now 2-14 overall and Sacred Heart drops to 7-9 overall.
The highlight of the day was the Hawks relief pitching from freshman Bob Rogers. Rogers entered the game in the fifth inning and lasted four and two-thirds innings, allowing just one hit. He also struck out three batters. Lefty Pete Moraksi started the game for Hartford and lasted just one and a third innings, suffering his first loss in his first decision of the season.
Moraski allowed six hits and three earned runs, while striking out two batters and walking two. Marc Toomey saw 1.2 innings of action and allowed a pair of earned runs on two hits. Jon Casey and John Coury also saw time in relief, Casey pitched one third of an inning, facing four batters. Coury pitched three outs, faced six batters, allowing two earned runs on two hits.
The Hawks bats were led by Brady Stouffer, Adam Bowser and Bill Perry, who all finished with two hits. All three added an RBI, joined by Erik Price in that category. The Hawks finished with nine hits overall, while Sacred Heart finished with 11 hits and was led by Bobbie McKee with three hits on five at bats, while adding four RBI. Steve Tedesco added two RBI.
The Pioneers took control of the game from the beginning with five runs in the first three innings. Moraksi sent the first two batters of the game back to the dugout before allowing three hits over the next four batters, allowing the first run of the game on an RBI single from Rob Tencza. The Pioneers then added two more runs in the second and third, with the final two runs in the fifth innings, both coming from lead off walks.
The Hawks scoring began in the fifth inning when Matt O'Connell came around to score after being hit by a pitch. Stouffer record the RBI in the fifth with his double to right center. Hartford then put up for runs in the eighth inning. Bowser, Perry and Price all recorded RBI's in the eighth, with Bowser cracking a triple to right center to scored Stouffer who reached on a walk.
The Hawks had their chance to win in the ninth inning. The Pioneers were able to get the first two batters out before Perry reach on a double to left center, his second hit of the game. Chris Hebert then walked and Price was hit by a pitch to load the bases before O'Connell had a hard liner to the pitcher for the final out of the game.
The Hawks will host the Quinnipiac Bobcats on Saturday at 1:30 at the Hartford Baseball Field.
