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WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – Three RBI's from rookie centerfielder Chris DelDebbio force what is truly a win-and-in scenario for the Hartford and Stony Brook baseball teams on Saturday afternoon as the Hawks came from behind to split Friday's doubleheader. The Hawks dropped the opening game by a 2-1 finale before facing a three-run deficit in the ninth inning of game two and scoring four runs for the walk-off 9-8 victory.
DelDebbio's three RBI tied fellow outfielder Ryan Lukach in leading the Hawks on Friday afternoon at Fiondella Field. Infielder Brian Estevez led the Hawks with three hits in six at bats while also sacrificing himself on one occasion. Joining him in recording multiple hits was catcher James Alfonso, first baseman Brady Sheetz and Likach, while DelDebbio's ninth inning triple was his only hit of the doubleheader. Overall the Hawks were outhit by Stony Brook who finished with a 19-12 advantage.
With today's pair of one run games the Hawks and Seawolves have now decided all five games in this season's home-and-home series by one run with tomorrow's single game securing the final spot in the 2013 America East Baseball Championship which will be played at LeLacheur Park, the home of the Lowell Spinners. The Hawks are scheduled to throw junior Brian Hunter who enters the series with a team-best 2.63 earned run average in his nine conference appearances.
Saturday's series and regular season finale is scheduled for a 1:015 p.m. start at Fiondella Field as the Hawks will honor their two seniors, Pat Knauth and Tyler Corsi prior to the first pitch. The Hawks will also host the Celebrate Life to the Max Youth Day prior to the game.
Hartford scored first in the opening game with their lone run coming in the second inning. Lukach led off the inning with an infield single that ricocheted off of Stony Brook's starting first baseman Kevin Courtney. DelDebbio helped the effort with a sacrifice bunt that allowed Lukach to advance to second while Alfonso provided the muscle to drive in the run as he smacked a single through the right side with Lukach scoring from 180 feet away.
Stony Brook then rallied with one out in the third scoring two runs, the only ones needed for the 2-1 victory in the seven inning game. The top of the order Jack Parenty began the rally with a single advancing to second on a walk issued to Cole Peragine. Austin Shives, who replaced Courtney in the lineup, loaded the bases in his first at bat of the game on a single to right field which was matched on the next at bat by Tanner Nivins who drove in Parenty for the tying run. After the second out was registered, Kevin Krause came through for the Seawolves as he singled up the middle allowing Peragine to score what amounted to be the game winning run.
The Hawks had their best opportunity at tying the game in the sixth inning after Estevez led off the inning with a single to center field. He would advance to second on a sacrifice bunt from Sheetz and advanced to third on a passed ball putting him 90 feet away from knotting the game at two runs apiece. Stony Brook starter Daniel Zamora settled in and got out of the jam by striking out Lukach and forcing DelDebbio into a ground out.
Zamora would go the distance for the Seawolves earning his eighth victory of the season. He would allowed the only Hartford run on four hits and a pair of walks while striking out four batters. Hawks starter Anthony Mannuccia suffered the loss for Hartford as he gave up both Seawolve runs on seven total hits in 5.1 innings of work. He also walked two batters and struck out three.
In the second game, the Seawolves scored first pushing two runs across the plate in the top of the first inning off of Hawks starter Sean Newcomb. Parenty , Peragine and Nivins led off the game with three straight single which loaded the bases without an out with both runs coming courtesy of free passes issued to Anthony Italiano and Joshua Mason.
Hartford then put five runs on the board in the fifth inning thanks to four walks and a pair of hits. Designated hitter Nick Dummar led off the inning reaching on a walk. Two more walks issued to Aaron Wilson and Estevez would load the bases with two outs. Sheetz would prove to be clutch with two outs as he singled to left centerfield which allowed Dummar and Wilson to score tying the game at two. Lukach would follow that hit with a double down the right field line that scored two more runs leading to the Hawks first lead of the day. Lukach would then become the fifth run of the inning thanks to a throwing error by Stony Brook's Shives which allowed Lukach to score from second.
Stony Brook cut its deficit down to a single run when they scored two in the eighth inning with RBI's from Parenty and a wild pitch from closer Jeremy Charles. The Seawolves would then rally for four in the top half of the ninth inning to take erase the deficit and take a three-run lead thanks to a pair of RBI from pinch hitter Michael Roehrig.
The Hawks went into their final three outs searching for a comeback of their own and they got just that thanks to four hits including the game-winning triple from DelDebbio. The Hawks started off the inning with a single to right field from Wilson before a pitching change brought in Stony Brook closer Tyler Honahan. After he forced Trey Stover into the first out of the inning the Hawks rallied with back-to-back singles to center field from Estevez and Sheetz that loaded the bases with one out. Lukach would then earn the first RBI as he reached safely on what should have been a routine groundout to third base, which in turn left the bases loaded for DelDebbio. The rookie centerfielder then laced the fourth pitch he saw down the right field line and into the corner as Lukach wheeled his way 270 feet from first base sliding into home for the game-winning run.