WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – Six Hawks finished with hits, led by freshman infielder Dalton Ruch who went 2-of-4, as the University of Hartford baseball team dropped a 6-2 decision to the visiting Bryant Bulldogs on Wednesday afternoon. Hartford falls to 13-10 in 2014 with a three-game series at conference foe Maine next on the docket.

The Hawks finished with seven total hits with Ruch's two singles leading all Hartford hitters. Catcher Billy Walker added one of the remaining seven hits, with his single in the sixth inning driving in one of the Hawks runs. Adam Touhey, Aaron Wilson and David MacKinnon also finished with one hit, all three of which were doubles, the latter of which came on a pinch hit with two outs in the bottom of the ninth.

Both of the Hawks runs came in the sixth inning as they worked from behind the whole game. Bryant opened the scoring in the first inning with a single run before taking a 5-0 lead thanks to a four run fifth inning. All of those five runs were tagged to starting pitcher Brian Murphy who finished five innings of work with eight hits against. All five of the runs against Murphy were earned while he also walked two batters and struck out one.

Jacob Mellin, John McGinty and Alex Gouin all saw time in a relief role with Mellin giving up the final Bryant run, which came in the seventh inning. Mellin would give up two hits and the unearned run while walking one and striking out two batters. McGinty and Gouin combined for three scoreless innings, including Gouin working out of a bases loaded, no out jam in the top of the ninth.

In the home half of the sixth, centerfielder Chris DelDebbio got the offense started with a one out single to center field. He and Brady Sheetz, who was hit by a pitch, would advance into scoring position thanks to a wild pitch with DelDebbio able to score the first run on a groundout with designated hitter James Alfonso recording the RBI. Walker would follow that with another single to centerfield which drove in Sheetz before the final out was recorded.

Hartford and Maine are scheduled for a three-game weekend series, which will also be the first conference games at Mahaney Diamond in 2014. The series will open with a doubleheader on Saturday and conclude with a single game on Sunday. First pitch on both days is scheduled for 1 p.m.