West Hartford, CT ? The University of Hartford baseball season came to a close on Saturday afternoon as the Hawks dropped a doubleheader to the Vermont Catamounts, 3-2 and 3-0 closing out the regular season. With the two wins the Catamounts clinched the fourth spot in next weekend's America East Championship. The final game of the four-game series between Hartford and Vermont, originally scheduled for Sunday, has been cancelled.
The Hawks close out the 2008 season with an 18-31 overall record and a 10-13 record in the America East. Prior to today's doubleheader against Vermont, the Hawks honored their seven seniors, Adam Bowser, Marc Toomey, Pete Moraski, Bill Perry, Adam Grap, John Coury and CJ Browne.
Hartford's two loses today were charged to its two starting pitchers, Zach Tarner and Marc Toomey. Toomey started the first game and pitched the first four and two-third innings, allowing three runs, two of them earned, on four hits and striking out three batters. Tarner pitched the first one-plus innings and allowed all three of the Vermont runs on five hits.
In the first game, the Hawks put the first runs on the board, two in the second inning. The inning began with Perry working a lead off walk. He advanced to second on a single to center field from Mike Amendola and scored on a single to left center from Matt Walker. Walker would score the second run of the inning, advancing to second on a fielder's choice. He then took third and scored on back-to-back singles from Brady Stouffer and Ben Sobocinski.
The Catamounts tied the score in the fourth inning, with the help of a key Hawks error. Justin Milo began the inning working a lead off walk. He took second on a sacrifice bunt and third on a single from Matt Duffy, putting runners on the corners with one out. Milo scored the first run on an infield groundout from Miguel Magrass. Duffy advanced to second on the same play and was able to score on a crucial error at short, tying the game.
Vermont took the lead with a single run in the fifth inning. Mark Micowski began the offense with a ground rule double down the left field fence. He advanced to third on a deep fly ball to center field and scored on a single through the right side from Milo.
Hartford had runners on first and second with no outs in the bottom of the seventh inning but couldn't manage a run. Both of those runners were thrown out at home off a throw from right field on a double from Amendola. Amendola was then left stranded as Drew Sgro struck out to end the game.
In the nightcap, the Catamounts scored early and Hartford wasn't able to rebounds. Vermont scored its first two runs on the first three at bats, with both scoring on a home run to left field from Milo. The long ball scored Micowski, who reached on a single to left. The third run came in the second inning. Jeff Nolet led off with a double to center field and scored, two batters later on a sacrifice from Micowski.
The Hawks scored their only run on a solo home run with two outs in the fifth inning from Simon Kudernatsch. The home run was just the second for the freshman from Czech Republic. Hartford was held at bay by the Catamounts starting pitched, Justin Albert, who pitched a complete game allowing only four hits and striking out nine batters.
