Burlington, VT - The University of Hartford baseball team dropped its first extra-inning game of the season, 3-2 at Vermont on Friday afternoon. The Hawks are now 8-21 overall and 5-3 in conference play and will continue a four-game series with the Catamounts with a double header on Saturday at 12:00 p.m. Fans can follow the action live using the livestats feature on HartfordHawks.com.
The Hawks starting pitcher, Weston Szymanski completed his third-straight game and his first extra innings game of his collegiate career. The right handed sophomore allowed three runs (two earned) on 11 hits, while striking out five batters and walking just two in 39 total batters faced. Szymanski is now 4-3 on the season.
Keith Rakus picks up the victory for the Catamounts. Rakus came in relief in the middle of the ninth inning and finished the game, going 1.2 innings. He allowed no runs or hits and walked one batter. Brandon Miles started for Vermont, He went 7.1 innings allowing one run on three hits, while striking out seven batters. Also seeing an inning of work was Eric Thompson. He pitched one inning and allowed the second Hawks run on one hit and struck out one batter.
The Hawks bats were led by Ben Sobocinski. He finished with two hits on four at bats with a pair of RBI. Hartford was held to just four hits in the game, with Adam Bowser and Chris Hebert both recording a hit. Jim Chapman, Kyle Henry and Ethan Paquette all recorded two hits for the Catamounts.
Vermont put the first notch in the scoreboard in the second inning, when Paquette led off with a single to center field. He advanced to second on the next at bat, a sacrifice bunt from Jeff Nolet and scored the on a double down the right field line from Bryce Shattie. Vermont threatened again in the fifth with back-to-back singles, but Ryan Crowley threw Bryan Rembisz out on a steal attempt to limit the Catamount runners.
Vermont was successful in plating a run in the sixth, when an infield hit from Kyle Massi led to a run after a Hawks outfield error. Marrie advanced to second on a single to right from Paquette and to third on the same play on the Hawks second error of the game. He then scored on an infield groundout for Nick Gallipani.
Hartford then rallied to tie the score on a two-out two-run slam to right field for Sobocinski. The blast was his first of the season and brought Matt O'Connell around to score after he reached base on a one out walk.
The Hawks offense again failed with an infield fielding error at first base which allowed Jim Chapman to reach second base as the lead off batter in the 10th. He then scored on the next at bat when Henry single to center field.
The Hawks and Catamounts will continue the four-game series with a Saturday double header beginning at 12:00 p.m. at Centennial Field in Burlington, VT.
