West Hartford, CT - The University of Hartford baseball team dropped a 13-9 decision to the UMBC Retrievers in the first of a four-game series against the America East foe on Friday afternoon. The baseball team will play a doubleheader against the Retrievers, two seven inning games, beginning at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday afternoon. Hartford falls to 14-21 on the season, 6-3 in the America East, while UMBC improves to 13-23 and 5-8 in the conference.
UMBC put the opening run on the board with a solo home run in the top of the second inning from Steve Russo. Hartford then broke up a five run lead with six runs in the bottom of the fourth. After Bill Perry led off the inning with a lineout to right field, back-to-back hits gave the Hawks its first lead. Both runs came courtesy of a home run over the left field fence from Matt Walker. Andy Drexel followed up the home run by reaching base on a hit batter and scored on the next at bat, a double through the left side from Adam Bowser, which was not controlled by the Retrievers, allowing Drexel to score on an error. Bowser then took third on an infield single from Adam Grap. Both then scored on the second home run of the inning, a blast over the left center field fence from Brady Stouffer.
Hartford then allowed the Retrievers to regain the lead in the top of the fifth, matching Hartford's six runs with six of their own. Starting pitcher Weston Szymanski (suffered the loss, 2-4) struck out the first batter of the inning, but back-to-back fielding errors on the Hawks infield allowed the next two batters to reach base. Both would eventually score runs. The bulk of the runs came on a three run home run to right field from Shawn Retz.
UMBC extended its lead with a pair of runs in the top of the seventh inning. The first four batters of the inning reached base successfully. The first run came courtesy of a double down the left field line from Tom Meaney, which scored Joe Fowler from second base. Meaney's double also advanced Will Delawter to third, he then scored on a sacrifice fly from Retz.
Hartford answered right back with two of its own runs in the bottom half of the inning. The Hawks began the inning in the same fashion, with the first four batters reaching base. The first run came courtesy of a double to right center from Walker, scoring Perry and allowing Mike Amendola to take third. Amendola then scored on a sacrifice to right from Drezel.
UMBC broke the lead open again in the eighth with four runs, giving them a 13-8 lead. Hawks reliever Kyle Perry forced the first batter of the inning into a fly out, before giving up a home run to left from Rich Conlon. Perry then allowed a triple on the next at bat and a three run home run to Fowler two batters later.
Hartford's ninth inning rally garnered just one run. Amendola led off the inning with a single to right field, and would eventually score the final run of the inning. He advanced to third on a single from Bowser and Grap's single to left provided the RBI.
Hartford used four total pitchers in the game. Szymanski started and pitched 6.1 innings, giving up nine runs, four of which were earned. He allowed nine hits and struck out four batters. Kyle Perry saw an inning of relief, allowing four earned runs on three hits. Justin DiConzo pitched two-thirds of an inning and allowed two hits and walked one batter. Matt Govoni closed out the game, pitching the ninth inning, allowed no hits and recording a strikeout.
Dan Blewett earned the victory for the Retrievers (3-4). He pitched the first 6.1 innings and allowed eight earned runs on 11 hits. Austin Drewyer pitched the final 2.2 innings for UMBC, allowing one earned run on four hits.
