BALTIMORE, Md. – The University of Hartford baseball team opened up its final weekend series of the season with a 1-0 shutout of the UMBC Retrievers, snapping a 13-game win streak for the conference foe. That win secured the Hawks second-straight appearance in the America East Championship.

Leading the Hawks in that 1-0 shutout was junior Joe Roberti who finished 2-of-4 at the plate including a two out RBI single to right field that drove in sophomore David MacKinnon for the game-winning run. Roberti was also impressive on the defensive side of the ball, throwing out three runners attempting to steal second base. MacKinnon joined Roberti with a two-hit outing, leading Hartford's seven total hits.

On the hill, junior righty Kyle Gauthier pitched eight innings without allowing a run to earn his team-leading fourth victory of the season. Gauthier faced just two batters over the minimum before turning the ball over to classmate Jeremy Charles who closed out the game, earning his third save of the season.

Led by senior shortstop Trey Stover, the Hawks dropped the nightcap by a 4-0 margin. Stover finished 2-of-3 at the plate, leading Hartford's five total hits. Suffering the defeat in game two was junior starter Sam McKay who was tagged with allowing three runs on five hits in four innings of work.

GAME ONE HIGHLIGHTS

·       Junior starting pitcher Kyle Gauthier pitched a gem in his final regular season start. The right hander allowed just four UMBC hits in eight innings of work and struck out two batters. Gauthier faced just two batters over the minimum. Classmate Jeremy Charles closed out the contest for Hartford, earning his third save of the year.

·       The lone run of the game came thanks to a two-out single from junior catcher Joe Roberti. Sophomore first baseman David MacKinnon opened up the inning extending his current hitting streak to seven-straight games with a single up the middle. After a walk to freshman designated hitter Erik Ostberg put runners on first and second, Roberti came through with a clutch single to right center that allowed MacKinnon to score from second, breaking the scoreless draw.

·       Roberti also showed an impressive arm from behind the plate as he erased a trio of Retrievers runners attempting to steal second. The Retrievers, who entered the game with a school record 102 stolen bases, finished the opening game 1-of-4 in stolen base attempts. Gauthier also erased a UMBC runner with his team-leading third pick off of the season.

·       As a team, Hartford finished the opening game with a 7-6 advantage in the hits column, earning the 14th win of the year when outhitting its opponent. Leading the way at the plate was Roberti and MacKinnon who each finished with two hits in four at bats. MacKinnon's two hits, along with one from senior Trey Stover extended hitting streaks for the pair, both having now hit safely in six-straight games.

·       The shutout for Hartford is its second-straight and the fourth of the season. The win for Hartford also broke a 13-game win streak for the Retrievers and it was just the second home loss of the season for UMBC.

GAME TWO HIGHLIGHTS

·       Senior shortstop Trey Stover finished 2-of-3 at the plate, leading the Hawks bats which accumulated five total hits. All five of Hartford's hits were singles as they stranded three total runners on base.

·       Junior starter Sam McKay suffered his seventh loss of the season on the mound. The right hander pitched four innings and allowed three runs, all earned, on five hits.

·       Joining Stover in recording hits in the nightcap was freshman designated hitter Erik Ostberg, junior second baseman Dalton Ruch and freshman leftfielder Nick Campana.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

·       With at least one hit in each of the two games, senior shortstop Trey Stover extended his team-leading hitting streak to eight-straight games, one shy of tying his season long and two shy of tying his career-long hitting streak.

·       Junior relief pitcher Jeremy Charles closed out the first game for Hartford, pitching a three-out save for his third of the season. That save also tied him for the school record in career saves with 12 total, matching that of Kurt Greshaw (1990-93).

·       Junior catcher Joe Roberti threw three runners out who were trying to swipe second base. It is the third time this season Hartford has erased three runners on the base paths with Roberti catching all nine of those runners. For the season, Roberti has caught 16 runners attempting to steal.

TWEETABLES (140 characters or less)

·       Hartford secured its second straight appearance in the America East Championship with a 1-0 shutout of UMBC in game one.

·       Junior Joe Roberti knocked in the game-winning run on a two-out single. He also threw three runners out trying to swipe bases.

·       Junior starting pitcher Kyle Gauthier pitched an eight inning gem, giving up four hits in his fourth win of the season.

·       Relief pitcher Jeremy Charles earned his third save of the season, tying him for the career-record in saves.

·       Senior Trey Stover extended his team-leading hitting streak to eight straight games, with three total hits on the day.

UP NEXT
Hartford and UMBC will conclude the three-game season-ending conference series with a single game scheduled for a 12 p.m. start at Alumni Field on Saturday afternoon.