LOWELL, Mass. – The University of Hartford baseball team dropped its opening game in the 2015 America East Championship 2-0 to the top-seeded Stony Brook Seawolves. Hartford will take on the loser between second seeded UMBC and third seeded Maine in an elimination game on Friday at 1 p.m. Leading Hartford in its tournament opener was a pair of freshman Ben Bengtson and Nick Campana who each finished with two of the Hawks six total hits.

Junior starter Kyle Gauthier threw a complete game for the Hawks, suffering the loss on the hill. Gauthier was tagged with allowing both Stony Brook runs, one of which was earned. Overall, the Lynn, Mass. native gave up six hits and walked three batters, while recording a pair of strikeouts.

Campana and Bengtson's two hits led the Hawks at the plate, while the remaining two hits came from designated hitter Erik Ostberg and second baseman Aaron Wilson, whose single hit was the only that did not come from the freshman class. Overall, the Hawks left nine runners on base, four of which were in scoring position.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS

·       Junior starting pitcher Kyle Gauthier threw a complete game for the Hawks, tying his longest outing of the season. Overall, Gauthier gave up two runs, one earned, on six hits. He also walked three batters and struck out a pair.

·       The Hawks freshman class led the way the plate, combining for five of the six total Hartford hits. Leftfielder Nick Campana and third baseman Ben Bengston each led the way with two hits apiece. One of Bengtson's hits went for two bases, the only extra base hit of the game for Hartford. That base knock put a pair of runners in scoring position with two outs.

·       Freshman Erik Ostberg added the final hit from the rookie class, a single down the right field line that should have allowed Campana to score, however the ball hit off of the umpire and forced Campana to hold up at third. That run would have tied the game at one in the sixth.  

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

·       Senior Trey Stover had his nine-game hitting streak halted in the America East opener. The senior did reach base on three occasions, the first on an error on a sacrifice bunt attempts and the next two on walks, part of four issued to the Hawks hitters.

·       Overall, the Hawks scattered six hits and had four batters reach base on walks, stranding nine total runners on base.

·       Junior starter Kyle Gauthier tied his career-high for the second-straight game, pitching eight innings. This is the first complete game outing for Gauthier this season.

TWEETABLES (140 characters or less)

·       Five of the Hawks six hits came from the freshman class with Nick Campana and Ben Bengtson leading the way with two each.

·       Junior Kyle Gauthier threw a complete game for the Hawks, allowing two runs, one of which was earned.

·       Freshman Ben Bengston was the only Hartford player to drive an extra-base hit, a double to right field.

UP NEXT
Hartford will continue its quest for a first America East Championship on Friday when they compete in an elimination game at 1 p.m. The Hawks will take on the losing squad in the second game of the tournament between second seeded UMBC and third seeded Maine.