MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – Freshman third baseman Ben Bengtson connected on his first hits of the season, finishing 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI as the University of Hartford baseball team dropped a 4-3 decision to the Cornell Big Red on Saturday at Ripken Experience in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Bengston was one of two rookie to finished with two hits, joined by leftfielder Nick Campana who also finished 2-for-4, extending his hit streak to five games. Rounding out the leading hitters was junior centerfielder Chris DelDebbio who was also 2-for-4, while driving in the Hawks third run.

Junior reliever Jeremy Charles was tagged with his first loss of the season as he gave up the go-ahead run, an unearned score, in the bottom of the ninth inning. Junior right hander Brian Murphy pitched 7.2 innings in his second start of the season, giving up three runs, all earned, on six hits with four strikeouts. Despite giving up the game-winning run, Charles finished without giving up a hit in two-thirds of an inning of work.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS

·       Rookie infielder Ben Bengtson collected the first hits of his collegiate career as he finished with two in four at bats. Bengston also drove in two runs, including what at the time was the game-tying run in the second inning when an infield groundout allowed classmate Erik Ostberg to score from third.

·       Two other Hawks finished with two hits including fellow freshman Nick Campana who has not hit safely in all five games since putting on a Hartford uniform. Campana and Bengston were joined by junior centerfielder Chris DelDebbio as all three finished 2-for-4 in the game.

·       DelDebbio also drove in a run against Cornell, what at the time was the go-ahead run in the second inning. That RBI is the second of the season for the outfielder.

·       Junior starter Brian Murphy pitched 7.2 innings in his second start of the season, a no-decision outing. Murphy gave up three runs on six total hits while walking two and striking out four batters. Reliever Jeremy Charles suffered the loss on the hill as he was tagged with the game-winning run despite not giving up a hit in two-thirds an inning of work.

HOW THEY SCORED

·       Hartford opened its scoring in the second inning as they erased what at the time was a 1-0 deficit. Freshman catcher Erik Ostberg opened up the inning by reaching base safely thanks to the first of two Cornell errors in the inning. Ostberg would then steal second and take third on a wild pitch before scoring thanks to classmate Ben Bengtson whose infield groundout allowed Ostberg to score from 90 feet away.

·       With two outs in the second, the Hawks began another rally, again starting by way of a Cornell error as a fielding miscue at second base allowed rookie Sebastian DiMauro to reach safely. He would then advance into scoring position as second baseman Aaron Wilson worked a five pitch walk. Both would advance 180 feet on the next at bat as centerfielder Chris DelDebbio drove in DiMauro from second base as his first hit of the afternoon dropped into center field.

·       The Hawks added their final run of the afternoon in the sixth inning, giving them a 3-1 lead at the time. Ostberg began the rally with a one out single to right field off of Cornell reliever Nick Busto. He advanced into scoring position as shortstop Trey Stover worked a free pass and scored on the next at bat thanks to Bengston's first hit of the afternoon a single to left field.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

·        Freshman leftfielder Nick Campana extended his win streak the length of the season thanks to two hits against Cornell. Campana's first hit of the afternoon was a one-out double in the top of the first inning that put his hit streak at five-straight game. He followed that with a single in the fifth inning for his second-straight and third total multi-hit game of the season.

·       Freshman third baseman Ben Bengtson's first career hit came in the sixth inning, as he drove in his second RBI of the game on single to left field. Bengston's first hit, he finished with two against the Big Red, came in his third game of the season.

·       Junior centerfielder Chris DelDebbio is the second Hawk who has hit safely in all five games in 2015, registering his first multi-hit game of the season, going 2-for-4 against the Big Red.

TWEETABLES (140 characters or less)

·       FR third baseman Ben Bengtson drove in a game-high two runs as he collected his first two hits of the season.

·       FR leftfielder Nick Campana and JR centerfielder Chris DelDebbio have both hit safely in all five games since the start of the season.

·       FR Nick Campana has finished with two hits in each of the last two games, three times total in 2015.

UP NEXT
The Hawks close out the weekend in Myrtle Beach with a night match-up aginst Seton Hall. First pitch against the Pirates at the Ripken Experience is scheduled for 7 p.m.