WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – The Hartford baseball team used a 10 run third inning and five perfect innings on the hill from sophomore hurler Sean Newcomb to secure a 15-5 victory over the Albany Great Danes in the series finale on Sunday. The win for Hartford also secures a 2-1 series victory over Albany in the opening weekend of conference play.

Newcomb picks up his first victory of the season in four appearances, three of which were starts. The sophomore lefty faced 15 batters and sat all of them down in order, including racking up seven strikeouts, a season high. Credit the Hawks defense for assisting in Newcomb's five perfect innings, especially a diving stop by third baseman Nick Dummar who then fired across the diamond for the third out in the fourth inning.

At the plate, the Hawks finished with 12 hits with Brady Sheetz and Chris DelDebbio leading the offense with two each. Designated hitter Brian Hunter led the squad with four RBI, setting a career-best for the junior from Port Jefferson, N.Y. Adam Touhey, James Alfonso and Sheetz would all drive in two, while four other players drove in one each. The 10 runs scored in the third for the Hawks sets a Fiondella Field record for the most runs in a single inning and is the most scored in a single frame since scoring 11 in the third inning on March 24, 1988, a 20-0 win over James Madison.

Hartford had an opportunity to score in their first appearance at the plate, loading the bases with two outs on a pair of walks and a hit-batter before Ryan Lukach hit a fly ball out to end the inning. The Hawks would get on the board in the bottom of the third, sending 15 batters to the plate and recording seven hits and having five additional batters reach on four walks and a hit-batter.

The Hawks would open up the bottom of the third four straight hits, the first two singles from Trey Stover and Sheetz, following by doubles from Hunter and Alfonso, the first of which drove in two runs and Alfonso's, which drove in one. The junior catcher would also drive in a second run in his second at bat of the inning on a sacrifice. Touhey, Sheetz, Hunter and Lukach also drove in runs in the third, with Sheetz and Hunter's coming on free passes. The Hawks would also knock out Albany starter Austin Chase and cycle through two relievers in the half inning. Overall, the Hawks half of the third lasted 49 minutes.

Hartford added an additional run in the bottom of the fourth, utilizing a leadoff single from Brian Estevez and a double to left center Dummar. Estevez's first hit of the afternoon hit off of the Great Danes pitcher who was unable to recover on the speedy runner, while Dummar followed that at bat with his first collegiate double, one that was deep enough to allow the Estevez to score from 270 feet away.

The Great Danes would manage their first runner in the top of the sixth inning after watching the first 16 batters retired in order. Patience from designated hitter Frank Buksa allowed for a one out walk off of Hartford reliever Sam McKay. McKay would go on to give up the first Albany run when he gave up the first hit to the Great Danes, a double to left center from Nolan Gaige, that allowed Buksa to score from first. Gaige would then be rewarded on the next at bat, as he was driven home on a single up the middle off the bat of short stop Gordon Madej.

Hartford would take one of those runs back in the bottom of the sixth as Hunter would drive in his fourth runner on a sacrifice to right. His sacrifice allowed senior captain Pat Knauth to score after reaching base on a pinch hit single up the middle.

Both teams would then trade three runs in the eighth inning. In the top half, the Great Danes would use three hits, including a double to right center from right fielder Josh Nethaway that drove in a pair of runs. Hartford would use single RBI's from Sheetz, Joe Roberti and DelDebbio.

The Hawks will play a pair of mid-week road games before heading to Orono, Maine for their first road series in league play. Hartford's next opponent comes in the form of in-state rival Central Connecticut on Tuesday, March 19 at 3:00 p.m.