THE BASICS:
 
RESULT: Stetson 8, Hartford 3
RECORDS: Hartford (26-30); Stetson (46-11)
LOCATION: Melching Field (DeLand, Fla.)
 
THE BASICS:
 
The University of Hartford baseball team put up a fight in its College World Series debut, but top-seeded Stetson scored seven runs over the final three innings to defeat the Hawks, 8-3, on Friday night. Hartford returns to action on Saturday when it takes on South Florida, the second seed in the DeLand Region, in an elimination game at 1 p.m. on ESPN3.
 
An exchange of blows between the Hawks and Hatters resulted in a 3-3 tie heading into the bottom of the seventh inning. But a two-run seventh inning followed by three runs in the eighth allowed Stetson to come out on top. Junior right fielder Ashton Bardzell went 3-for-4 with one run and an RBI to pace Hartford's offense.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
 

• After threatening with a pair of runners on base with two down in the first, Hartford put together another two-out rally in the top part of the third.
• Sparked by a poke through the middle of the infield by sophomore third baseman Zachary Ardito, who would eventually reach third on a stolen base and passed ball, Bardzell drew a walk to make it runners on the corners for junior designated hitter Chris Sullivan. But a lightning delay would disrupt play, and following the 45-minute delay, Hartford was unable to break open the game.
• After three and a half scoreless innings, Eric Foggo got the offense going for Stetson. Lacing a two-bagger down the left field line with one out, the Hatters' first baseman moved to third on a groundout to second by Jorge Arenas. In the ensuing at-bat, Foggo scored on a wild pitch to give Stetson the advantage.
• But Hartford would answer back in the top of the sixth, plating a pair of runs to take its first lead of the game. A lead off base hit to right Bardzell followed by a two-out single to left by sophomore Jackson Olson made it runners on first and second for junior catcher Drew Holtgrieve, who tied the game with a base hit through the right side. In the next at-bat, freshman Drew DeMartino sent one under to Stetson Jonathan Meola, who not only misplayed the ball, but was called for runner interference to score Olson and make it a 2-1 Hawks' lead.
• A pair of leadoff walks dealt by Hawks' starting pitcher Nicholas Dombkowski led to trouble for Hartford in the bottom of the sixth, as a single through the left side of the field by Foggo knotted up the score at two runs apiece and forced a pitching change for the Hawks. Facing the newly-inserted Drew Farkas, Jorge Arenas ripped a double over the head of John Thrasher in centerfield to put the lead back in the hands of the Hatters at 3-2.
• The top of the Hawks' lineup went to work to get that run back in the seventh. Reaching on a fielding error, leadoff hitter Nick Campana advanced 90 more feet on a ground out from Ardito. That set the scene for a red-hot Bardzell, who sugged a hit through the middle of the infield to score Campana and draw the game even.
• Stetson closed out the game on a strong note, though, regaining the lead after Brooke Wilson lined a doubled own the right field line to plate Austin Bogat, who led off the frame with a hit through the middle of the infield. A wild pitch brought in one more run before a three-run eighth inning would extend the lead to 8-3 and ultimately secure the win.

 
NEWS AND NOTES:

• Bardzell had a hot bat, going 3-for-4 with one RBI and one run.
• Dombkowski was solid on the mound, allowing one run on just three hits in five innings before conceding a pair in the sixth. He finished the night with four strikeouts.
• Reliever Mitchell Senger earned the win for the Hatters to improve to 9-2 on the season. He worked three innings, recording three strikeouts. Farkas suffered the loss for Hartford.
• Hartford will face South Florida for the first time since 1987. The Bulls hold a 2-0 edge against the Hawks.

 
NEXT ON TAP:
Hartford will take on South Florida, which opened play in the DeLand Region with a 9-2 loss to Oklahoma State, in the elimination game on Saturday afternoon. First pitch between the Hawks and Bulls is set for 1 p.m. on ESPN3.