Burlington, VT - The University of Hartford baseball team picked up victories in both games of a doubleheader against the Vermont Catamounts on Saturday. Hartford won the first game by a 4-3 score and the scored two runs in the top of the ninth to win 5-3 in the nightcap.
Ben Sobocinski pitched a complete game earning the victory in game one. He allowed three earned runs on 10 hits with four strikeouts in seven innings of work. He was also 2-for-4 at the plate, where Andy Drexel led the team, also going 2-for-4, but adding two RBI.
Vermont got on the board first with two runs in the bottom of the first inning. Ben Sobocinski opened up his ninth start by allowing back-to-back hits, a single from Mark Micowski and a double from Corey Moylan. Both then became the first runs of the game scoring on a single to right center from Matt Duffy.
Hartford put its first run on the board in the third inning as Andrew Siano scored on a double to right center from Mike Amendola. The Hawks then tied the game at two with a single run in the fourth inning and took a 4-2 lead with two runs in the fifth.
In the fourth inning, A one-out single from Ben Sobocinski led to an eventual run as the third-straight hit in the inning, from Jason Freethey, scored the tying run. The Hawks then started the fifth inning with a bunt single from Sinao, who eventually became the first run of the inning. Amendola became the second base runners, reaching on a single through the left side. Both Amendola and Siano came around to score on a single to left field from Drexel.
Ben Sobocinski allowed only two runners to get past second base for the final six innings, and only one of them proved costly. In the fifth inning, the Catamounts chipped into the Hawks lead with a single run, made possible by a lead off walk. Justin Milo provided the RBI that scored Dave Soltis to pull Vermont within one, 4-3.
Sobocinski then guaranteed the victory in the seventh, forcing Micowksi into a double play after walking Soltis, putting the tying run on base. The win is the second of the season (2-3 overall) for the senior right hander.
In the second game, Steve Sobocinski earned the victory on the mound, pitching the final 2.2 innings. He allowed only one hits and struck out one batter, while not allowing a run. Weston Szymanski started for Hartford. He pitched the first 6.1 innings, allowing all three Vermont runs, only one earned, on five hits with four walks and four strikeouts.
Drexel once again led the Hawks at the plate, this time going 3-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored. Also with multiple hits in the game were Amendola and Siano who each finished with two.
In game two, the Hawks would strike first; scoring single runs in the second and third inning. Both runs were made possible by lead off walks. Drexel worked the first free pass to begin the second inning. He came around to score on the next at bat, a double to center field from Matt Walker. Freethey then took the free bag in the third inning and after stealing second came around to score on a double to right center from Amendola.
The Catamounts came back to tie the game in the bottom of the third and then both teams added runs in the fifth inning for the second stalemate. The Hawks run in the fifth was possible after a lead off triple to center field from Siano. Drexel's first RBI of the game was the one that scored Siano for the short lived 3-2 lead.
With both teams going to the bullpens, only one Catamount runner would end up in scoring position for either team over the next three innings. That was until Siano led off the ninth inning with a single and Drexel picked up his second and third RBI's with a two-run home run to right field putting the Hawks ahead 5-3.
Steve Sobocinski put a slight scare into the Hawks in the bottom half of the inning after hitting two batters, but forced two outs to center field and then popped up Jeff Nolet to end the game and secure his second win of the season (2-2 overall).
The Hawks and Catamounts close out the series with a Sunday doubleheader, which is scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m. in Burlington, VT.
