VESTAL, N.Y. –After falling to Binghamton, 2-1, in game one of the America East Tournament, Hartford baseball bounced back to win game two again Maine, 6-5, and move on to day two of the America East Tournament hosted by Binghamton.
Sophomore
Drew DeMartino hit a home run in game two and finished the afternoon with a team-high four RBI,as the Hawks improve to 21-33 overall.
GAME ONE: BINGHAMTON 2 HARTFORD 1
After neither team could find a run through the opening five innings, Hartford got on the board first in the top of the sixth. Senior
Ashton Bardzell walked to lead off the inning and moved over to second after a sacrifice bunt by sophomore
Drew DeMartino. Ardito then stepped in and laced a single to right field, scoring Bardzell and giving us the 1-0 lead.
Binghamton tied the game in the bottom of the seventh with runners on first and third and two outs, as redshirt-junior Daniel Franchi singled to the shortstop, scoring junior Justin Drpich and tying the game at one.
The Bearcats took the game one win in the bottom of the ninth as sophomore Shane Marshall hit a hard shot to third with the bases, bringing sophomore Jake Evans around to score for the 2-1 walk-off victory.
GAME TWO: HARTFORD 6 MAINE FIVE
Hartford came out strong in game two, scoring three runs in the top of the first. With one out and senior
Chris Sullivan on second, Bardzell singled to left field and then advanced to second on an error by the left fielder, plating Sullivan for the first run of the game. DeMartino followed Bardzell's lead and traded spots with him, pushing the Hawks' lead to 2-0. Ardito wrapped the scoring in the opening frame, singling to center field, scoring DeMartino for his second RBI of the day and making the score 3-0.
After Maine scored two runs in the bottom of the first and second for the 4-3 lead, Hartford attempted to rally in the top of the sixth as DeMartino led off the inning with a home run to left field, tying the score at one.
The Black Bears took the lead right back in the bottom of the sixth, but DeMartino came through again for the Hawks in the top of the seventh. With two outs and the bases loaded, DeMartino swatted a single through right side, scoring both Sullivan and junior
Jackson Olson giving Hartford the 6-5 lead.
Freshman
Will Nowak entered the game with two outs in the eighth and earned his sixth save of the year, closing out the game two victory, 6-5.
NEWS AND NOTES
- Junior Drew Farkas (2-0) earned the win in relief in game two, allowing no earn runs in 4.1 innings of work while striking out a season-high five batters
- DeMartino's four RBI in game two is a new career-high, while matching a career-high in runs scored with two
- With his sixth save on the season, Nowak is now tied with Jeremy Charles (2013) for fifth all-time in a single season
NEXT ON TAP
Hartford will take on the lower-seed loser from tomorrow's first two games tomorrow evening. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.