West Hartford, CT ? The University of Hartford baseball team, behind a four-hit effort from Matt Walker, a three-RBI effort from Ben Sobocinski, seven strikeouts from Cory Beahm and eight steals as a team, picked up a 12-4 victory in the series finale against the New Jersey Institute of Technology Highlanders on Sunday afternoon. Hartford improves to 8-21 on the season.

Walker and Sobocinksi combined for six of the Hawks 15 total hits in the game. Walker was a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate, while scoring two runs and Sobocinksi finished 2-for-3 with a team-best three RBI and scored one run. Seven other players finished with an RBI for the Hawks, while Victor Santana finished with three hits and Mike Amendola added two hits to round out the Hawks offensive leaders. Amendola also scored three runs and knocked in one.

On the bases, Hartford finished with eight total stolen bases, three in the first inning, two in the fourth inning and three more in the fifth inning. Sobocinski, Andrew Siano and Jason Freethey all finished with two each, with Sobocinski and Freethey stealing second and third in the same inning. The eight stolen bases in a single game are the most for the Hawks in the five years under head coach Jeff Calcaterra.

On the mound, rookie Beahm started only his second game. He pitched the first five innings and gave up one earned run on five hits. He finished the game with seven strikeouts, which ties the season high for the most by a Hawks pitcher. Six of his seven strikeouts came in the first three innings, as he sat down the first nine batters in order, despite a hit in the third. That runner was caught stealing during the next at bat.

Zach Tarner and Bob Rogers both saw two innings of relief work. Tarner pitched the sixth and seventh innings and allowed two unearned runs on one hit, with one strikeout and one walk. Rogers allowed a single earned run on three hits while also recording a walk and a strikeout, as he pitched the eighth and ninth for the Hawks.

Steven Ace suffered the loss (0-5 overall) for the Highlanders. He pitched the first five innings and allowed nine earned runs on nine hits with two strikeouts and three walks. At the plate, the Highlanders were led by Dan Moreno who finished 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.

The Hawks welcome the Yale Bulldogs to the Hartford Baseball Field on Wednesday, April 22, at 3:30 p.m. for the only tune up prior to the Hawks four-game series at UMBC on the weekend.