THE BASICS:

RESULT: Hartford 14, Rhode Island 13
RECORD: Hartford (22-12); Rhode Island (13-18)
WINNING PITCHER: John Mormile (2-0)
LOSING PITCHER: Blaise Whitman (1-2)
LOCATION: Fiondella Field (West Hartford, Conn.)

THE LEAD:

The University of Hartford baseball team held off a flurry of late runs from the Rhode Island Rams on Wednesday afternoon to come away with a 14-13 victory in non-conference action. Chris Sullivan and Ashton Bardzell blasted grand slams for four RBI apiece in the contest, as the Hawks improve to 9-1 in midweek games.

Bardzell's four-run shot proved to be the most timely hit on the afternoon, as it was part of a sixth inning that produced six runs and extended an 8-6 advantage to 14-6. URI put together a late surge, scoring four runs in the eighth and three more in the ninth. With the potential game-tying run at third and one out recorded in the frame, reliever Collin Ferguson shut the door on the Rams, inducing a pop-up and a ground out to end the game. David MacKinnon also had a solid day at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored.

HOW THEY SCORED:

• Rhode Island jumped out to an early lead before the Hawks had their first go-around at the plate. Using four hits and a walk, the Rams manufactured four quick runs, with an RBI single from Mike Corin rounding out the scoring in the frame.
• Hartford wasted little time to get those runs back, though. The top of the Hawks' lineup – Aaron Wilson, David MacKinnon and Chris DelDebbio – each got on base on back-to-back base hits and a walk to start things off. With one out recorded, Ben Bengtson got a free RBI after earning a four-pitch walk before Sullivan went yard over the wall in right centerfield for the first of two grand slamsto put his squad up, 5-4.
• Another home run – this one off the bat of Rams' second baseman Chris Hess – would even up the score at five runs apiece in the top of the second. But Dalton Ruch answered for Hartford in the bottom of the frame. Opening the inning with a base hit to right center, he took second on a perfectly laid sacrifice bunt off the barrel of Wilson before scoring on Erik Ostberg's two-out rip through the middle of the infield.
• With his team leading, 6-5, Hawks' starter Justin Cashman, a right-handed pitcher, started to settle in, as he would retire the next six Rams he faced in order to preserve the advantage. Hartford went on to plate two more runs in the bottom of the fourth with Bengtson's two-out, infield popup doing the damage. That high hit, which got lost in the sun, fell between three URI infielders, allowing MacKinnon and DelDebbio to score and push the lead to 8-5.
• Facing a new pitcher in Mormile in the top half of the fifth, the Rams cut into their deficit and closed the gap to 8-6. Jordan Powell, who enjoyed a 5-for-5 day at the plate, doubled with one out, and scored on a two-out single off the bat of Derek Gardella.
• The Hawks benefited from a flurry of runs in the sixth, as six players crossed home during that span to push the lead to eight runs at 14-6. A sac bunt by DelDebbio resulted in an RBI for the centerfielder as a speedy Wilson was able to come around from second on the play. Ostberg continued the rally with an RBI single to push the lead to 10-6 before Bardzell's home run with the bases juiced quickly made it a 14-6 Hartford advantage.
• Four hits coupled with one walk allowed the Rams to close in on Hartford's lead in the top of the eighth. URI plated four runners during that stretch to pull within four (14-10), with Brett McManus' RBI single capping off the big frame.  
• The rally carried into URI's final at-bats, as the visiting squad added three more runs to its count to trim the deficit down to one. Chris Hess and Powell each recorded RBI after getting on base with a double and single, respectively, before Figueroa made it a 14-13 on a fielding error by Hartford. The Rams had the potential game-tying run at third – and the go-ahead run at first – but Ferguson clamped down and retired the final two batters to end the game and seal the Hawks' victory.

 
NEXT ON TAP:
The Hawks remain home for a three-game America East series with Maine this weekend. The Hawks and Black Bears are slated to play a doubleheader on Saturday, April 23, with action from Fiondella Field set to begin at 12 p.m. Following the double dip, the squads will conclude the series on Sunday, April 24, with a single game at 12 noon.