West Hartford, CT ? The University of Hartford baseball team split a doubleheader with the New Jersey Institute of Technology on Saturday, scoring a 13-9 victory in the opening game and dropping a 3-4 decision in the nightcap. The Hawks and Highlanders will conclude their three-game series with a single game on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. at the Hartford Baseball Field.
The Hawks (7-21 overall) battled from behind in the first game, after allowing seven runs in the fourth inning to go behind 8-1. Hartford would score six runs of their own in the fourth, a total of 13 runs in the inning, and then followed that up with another six run spot in the fifth to take a 13-8 advantage. Sophomore pitcher Steve Sobocinski earned his first collegiate victory (1-2 in 2008-09), coming in relief of starter Ben Sobocinski.
Ben Sobocinski allowed five earned runs on eight hits in 3.1 innings of work, while younger brother Steve Sobocinski allowed four runs, three earned, on three hits in 2.2 innings of work. The brothers combined for six strikeouts. Rookie Andrew Smith earned his first collegiate save, only the second save for a Hartford pitcher this season. Smith pitched the final three outs, entering in the seventh inning with the bases loaded and allowing only one run to score.
The Hawks batted around in both the fourth and fifth inning. In fourth, Hartford had two two-run hits, the first a double to right center from sophomore Rodger Wilmot and the second a single up the middle from junior Mike Amendola. Ben Sobocinski earned the only other Hawks RBI on his double down the right field line.
In the fifth, Andy Drexel scored two runs on his first triple of the season. The Hawks started the inning with four-straight singles from Matt Walker, Jason Freethey, Andrew Siano and Brady Stouffer. Stouffer and Siano knocked in runs on their hits, while Ben Sobocinksi knocked in a run for the second-straight inning.
In the first game, the Hawks were led at the plate by Ben Sobocinski who finished 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored. He was one of five players to finish with two hits. The others included Siano, Stouffer, Bobby Gorski and Walker. Drexel led the Hawks with three RBI, while Amendola and Wilmot each added two.
In the second game, the Hawks needed to again battle from behind after allowing three runs in the third inning. The Highlanders (3-20 overall) began the third inning with four-straight singles, the final one a single to left field from Dan Moreno scored the first two runs of the inning. The final run was made possible by the fifth hit in the inning, a single up the middle from Vincent Del Vecchio.
Hartford took one run back in the fifth inning with Drew Sgro scoring the run after reaching base on a single up the middle. He advanced to third on a second-straight single from Freethey and then scored as Freethey was caught in a run down, which ended the inning.
The Highlanders took that run right back in the top of the sixth, manufacturing a run off a one-out single to center from Del Vecchio. He took second on a sacrifice bunt and then scored on another single to center, this one from Kyle McCarthy.
Hartford would answer that run by scoring two of their own in the bottom half of the inning. Amendola had the first hit of the inning a single to right center and then scored form first on the next at-bat a triple down the right field line from Drexel. Drexel then scored as Ben Sobocinski hit a two-out single up the middle.
The Hawks threatened to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh with a runner in scoring position with one out. The runner, Chris Suchy, took third on an infield ground out and was unable to score as Stouffer hit into a force out at first base, a hard hit ball just inside the line, but McCarthy beat Stouffer to the bag to end the game.
