Winter Haven, FL ? The University of Hartford baseball team continues its play in the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational with a 7-3 loss to #19 Illinois on Saturday afternoon. Hartford falls to 1-9 on the season, while the Illini improve to 12-3 overall.
Illinois received six quality innings from their starter Ben Reeser, holding the Hawks scoreless through his first five innings of work. He finished his day with two unearned runs charged against him, while only giving up three hits and striking out six batters.
Hartford puts its first runs on the board in the sixth inning. Cory Beahm started the inning with a single through the left side. An error on the third baseman allowed Andrew Siano to reach, putting runners at first and second. Reeser then forced the top two batters in the Hawks order to pop up and ground out. The groundout led to the first run as Simon Kudernatsch knocked in Beahm who, with Siano, advanced into scoring position on a wild pitch. Mike Amendola provided the second hit of the inning on a single to left center that scored Siano for the Hawks second run.
Those two runs pulled the Hawks within five runs, 7-2, as Hartford allowed three runs in the first, two in the third and two more in the fourth, giving the Illini and early lead, one they wouldn't relinquish. A double from Dominic Altobelli provided much of the force needed in the first innings as he scored Joe Bonadonna and Brandon Wikoff. Altobelli drove in is third runner of the game, the runner that would prove to be the game winner, when he second Wikoff across the plate in the third on a double down the left field line.
Hartford would only add one more run, in the seventh inning. With one out, the Hawks Drew Sgro started the offense with a double to left. He was replaced by Jason Freethey as a pinch runner, who scored two batters later. Beahm's single up the middle put Freethey on third with one out, scoring on the next at-bat, a sacrifice fly to left from Siano.
Ben Sobocinski suffered the loss for Hartford. He pitched the first 2.2 innings allowing five earned runs on five hits with three walks and two strike outs. Bob Rogers, Kudernatch and Beahm would all see time on the mound in relief rolls. Rogers saw the most time, pitching 3.1 innings allowing two earned runs on three hits with a walk. Kudernatsch and Beahm pitched one inning each, with both facing only three batters.
The Hartford baseball team will conclude its Spring Trip in the heart of the Sunshine State with a Sunday morning matinee against the Ohio State Buckeyes at 11:00 a.m.
