West Hartford, CT - The University of Hartford baseball team dropped a pair of games, 14-1 (first) and 3-1 (second), to America East foe Maine on Sunday afternoon. The Hawks are now 13-32 overall and 9-13 in conference play, while Maine improves to 22-23 overall and 10-9 in America East action. The teams will close out the four-game series with a single game on Monday at 12:00 p.m. at the Hartford Baseball Field. Prior to today's game the Hawks honored their four senior members, Ryan Crowley, Chris Hebert, Adam Flaherty, and Zach Stefka.
The Hawks starting pitchers in both games suffered the losses. Pete Moraski started the first game, lasting four and one third innings. Moraski (2-4 overall) allowed five runs (all earned) on six hits, while striking out four batters. Chris Greiner pitched five innings allowing all three Maine runs for his eighth loss of the season (2-8 overall).
Also seeing action on the mound for Hartford was C.J. Browne, Stefka and Bryan Bloch in the first game and Marc Toomey in the second game. Browne pitched two thirds innings in the first game and allowed three runs (all earned) on two hits and two walks, while striking out one batter. Stefka pitched an inning and allowed six runs, all unearned on three hits and two walk. Bloch pitched the seventh inning and allowed just one hit. In the second game, Toomey pitched the final two innings allowing only one hit and striking out one batter.
At the plate, the Hawks were led by Greg Cinelli who finished with three hits and an RBI over the two games. Also finishing with a multi-hit day was Adam Bowser and Bill Perry, each finishing with two hits. The three combined for all seven of the Hawks hits on the day.
Maine got started early in the day with a two run bomb in the first inning from Curt Smith. The inning began with a walk to the lead off batter, Matt McGraw. He advanced to second on a perfectly placed sacrifice bunt to the third baseman. Smith then sent his fifth long ball of the season over the left field fence.
The Black Bears scored one run in the third inning on a wild pitch, after Smith doubled to reach safely for the second consecutive at bat. He advanced to third on a stolen base before scoring on the dirt ball. Maine broke the game open with a five run fifth inning and a six run sixth inning. The fifth inning began with a triple to the right center field fence for McGraw. Four different players drove in runs in the fifth inning, including a two run single to center field for Tavis Hasenfus.
The sixth inning began with McGraw reaching safely with a single. He would be the first run of the inning with the key hit a double to left field for Danny Menendez, scoring two runs. Two other players recorded RBI's, with all six runs unearned courtesy of two Hawks errors. The Hawks only run of the game came in the bottom of the seventh inning when, Perry and Bowser led of the inning with singles. Perry would come around to score on a pass ball charged to the catcher.
In the nightcap, the Black Bears again struck early with one run on two hits in the first inning, all with two outs. Smith smacked the first hit, a single up the middle and scored on the next at bat when Joel Barrett sent a double to the fence in right center field, allowing Smith to score from first.
Hartford tied the score with its only run of the game in the fifth inning, when Bowser reached, in the lead off position, on an error on the third baseman. He took second on a well placed sacrifice bunt from Crowley and came around to score on a single to left field from Cinelli.
The Black Bears took the lead back with a two run sixth inning, both coming courtesy of the fourth home run of the season for freshman catcher Myckie Lugbauer.
