WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – The University of Hartford baseball team clinched its first appearance in the league championship since 1996 with a 4-3 victory over the UMBC Retrievers on Sunday afternoon, completing the weekend sweep of the conference foe. With the victory, Hartford improved to 27-17, tying the second highest win total in school history, while also increasing its league record to 13-4 which keeps the Hawks in a tie with the Stony Brook Seawolves for first place in the America East.

The Hawks finished Sunday's game with nine hits, collecting 35 total over the three-game series against UMBC. Leading the Hawks was a trio of players, David MacKinnon, Brady Sheetz and Aaron Wilson who all finished with two hits. Three different Hawks finished with an RBI but the most important run came without being batted in as a double steal in the seventh inning allowed the Hawks to take a 4-3 lead, which they held onto through the final six outs.

The longest RBI of the day came in the second inning as right fielder Ryan Lukach sent the first pitch he saw from UMBC starter Joe Vanderplas over the fence in right center field. Joining him in driving in runs was Sheetz and designated hitter Billy Walker who sacrificed himself in the fourth inning to drive in the second run in that frame, providing a 3-2 lead at the time.

On the hill, sophomore starter Kyle Gauthier earned his fourth victory of the season, keeping his record unblemished in four decisions. The righty from Lynn, Mass. threw eight innings and allowed three runs, two of which were earned, on five hits. He also struck out six batters, a season high for him and two shy of his career best. Classmate Jeremy Carter closed out the contest for the Hawks, retiring the only three batters he faced in the ninth in order earning his second save of the season and the 13th total for the Hawks.

Gauthier had to work out of trouble right out of the gates as he stranded runners on second and third with one out by recording his first strikeout and forcing a fly ball to centerfield for the third out. That fly ball was one of only two in 24 outs for Gauthier who forced 15 players into groundouts.

UMBC would take the first lead of the afternoon in the top of the second a leadoff double to right center from Jake Barnes paid off. An infield groundout would allow Barnes to advance to third with two outs while an infield error permitted him to score the opening tally.

The Hawks didn't let that lead last more than a few minutes as Lukach led off the Hartford half of the second with a first pitch slam for Lukach, his fourth home run of the season which ties catcher James Alfonso for the team lead.

The Retrievers answered by regaining a one-run advantage in the top of the third with singles from Vince Corbi and Mark Esposito manufacturing the run. Corbi would send the first hit of the inning up the middle and after stealing second scored two batters later when Esposito sent his first hit of the game into center.

After back-to-back blank slates on the scoreboard, Hartford took its first lead of the game with two runs in the fourth. Lukach would become the first runner of the inning when he took a pitch in the shoulder. Alfonso followed that with his first hit of the day, a double off the fence in right field that out he and Lukach in scoring position. Sheetz kept the momentum going when he beat out an infield single that allowed Lukach to score from third and Alfonso to advance to 90 feet from the plate. Alfonso then scored thanks to Walker giving himself up for the team with a fly ball to centerfield that provided the Hawks go-ahead run.

Just as Hartford did in the second, the visitors weren't going to let that lead last for long as they tied the game in the top of the fifth, again utilizing a leadoff double this time from short stop Kevin Lachance. After advancing to third on a wild pitch he scored on an infield groundout with centerfielder Andrew Casali recording the RBI.

The Hawks then second eight runners to the plate in the seventh inning after a pitching change by the Retrievers sent Denis Mikush to the mound. He would end up suffering the loss for UMBC, his third in four decisions. Trey Stover would get the Hawks offense going when he was able to reach base on a wild pitch after striking out. Wilson followed that which his second-straight hit, beating out a bunt single that left two runners on with no outs.

Stover attempted to put the Hawks on top two batters later but was erased at the plate on a fielder's choice that left Wilson at third and Adam Touhey at first. Touhey would then take off towards second on a pick-off attempt, with the play allowing Wilson to dart home, beating the throw to the plate and scoring the game-winning run.

Hartford will return to action with a three-game series against the newest member of the America East, UMass Lowell. The Hawks will travel to the home of the 2014 America East Championship LeLacheur Park, home of the Lowell Spinners, with the series starting on Saturday, May 10 with a doubleheader at noon.