THE BASICS:
RESULT: Central Connecticut 6, Hartford 4
LOCATION: CCSU Baseball Field (New Britain, Conn.)
RECORDS: Hartford (1-6, 0-0 America East), CCSU (5-5, 0-0 NEC)
WP: Patrick Mitchell (1-0)
LP: Jason Johndrow (0-1)
S: Jared Gallagher (2)
THE LEAD:
The University of Hartford baseball team (1-6, 0-0 AE) dropped a 6-4 decision at Central Connecticut (5-5, 0-0 NEC) on Wednesday afternoon. The bulk of the Blue Devils' offense came on one swing of the bat, when first baseman Terry Bowens hit a grand slam to left-center in the third inning, giving CCSU a 5-3 lead.
Center fielder
Ashton Bardzell led the Hawks with three hits and catcher
Erik Ostberg added two more. Bardzell, Ostberg,
David MacKinnon and
Nick Campana drove in Hartford's four runs. Bowens paced the Blue Devils with four hits.
Relief pitcher Patrick Mitchell picked up his first win of the season, allowing one run in 3.1 innings for CCSU. Freshman
Jason Johndrow took the loss in his first appearance of the year after allowing three runs, including Bowens' home run in the third. Hartford used seven pitchers in the game, with none throwing more than two innings.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- The Blue Devils struck first in the bottom of the first when Tyler Coleman singled, advanced on a walk and scored on a two-out single by Buddy Dewaine.
- The Hawks broke through for three runs in the third to take a 3-1 edge. Dalton Ruch got things started with a single up the middle, advanced on a single from Jackson Olson and scored on a double to center from Bardzell. Olson scored on a sac fly by MacKinnon and Bardzell came home on a double to left-center by Ostberg.
- CCSU managed four runs on one hit in the third. After a hit-by-pitch and a pair of walks, Bowens lifted a grand slam over the fence in left-center to give the Blue Devils a 5-3 lead.
- Hartford got one run back in the sixth when Ostberg singled, advanced on a single by Ben Bengtson and scored on a single from TJ Ward.
- Third baseman Ryan Costello connected for a one-out home run to right-center in the seventh, giving CCSU a two-run cushion at 6-4.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- With a 2-for-5 day at the plate, Ostberg remains the Hawks' leading hitter at 14-for-29 (.483) on the season.
- Bardzell's .344 average (11-for-32) is good for second on the team.
- Ostberg and Bardzell both doubled for the Hawks. It was Ostberg's team-leading fifth double of the season.
- MacKinnon's RBI was the first of the season.
- The Hawks' out-hit CCSU 11-9, but also left more runners (8) on base than the Blue Devils (7).
NEXT UP:
The Hawks will make their final long-distance road trip of the season when they travel to take on the Arizona Wildcats for a three-game series from March 10-12. Arizona finished runner-up to national champion Coastal Carolina in the 2016 College World Series and is off to a 10-2 start this season.
Friday's game will begin at 8 p.m. Eastern, with Saturday's matchup scheduled for a 4 p.m. Eastern start. Sunday's finale is scheduled for a 3 p.m. first pitch. The Hawks are 0-2 all-time against Arizona, with both losses coming in 1986.
