WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – The Hartford baseball team dropped its home opening doubleheader against Manhattan on Friday. The Hawks fall to 1-7 on the young season, while the Jaspers improve to 5-12 on the year.
GAME ONE: MANHATTAN 7, HARTFORD 5
After a scoreless opening frame, Manhattan would get the offense started in the top of the second taking a 1-0 lead over Hartford. The Hawks would respond with four runs in the bottom of the third with a three-run blast from
Noah Rivera and bases loaded walk by
Jackson Ciccone. Rivera's round tripper drove home
Martin Chavarria and
Devin Kellogg who each reached base earlier in the inning via the single. Hartford's starter
Alec Couture would settle in with a 3-1 lead, allowing just one hit over the next three innings. However, the Jaspers would regain their early momentum bring three runs across in the top of the seventh to tie the game up at four apiece. With the game tied at four, Ciccone would drive home
Harrison Engstrom with a line drive single into right center to take a 5-4 lead into the eighth. Manhattan would respond with three runs in the top half of the eighth and hold on to take game one 7-5.
GAME TWO: MANHATTAN 14, HARTFORD 4 (7 Inn.)
Hartford would jump out to an early 1-0 lead in the first inning after Engstrom drove home Chavarria on an RBI single through the left side of the infield. Chavarria reached base after drawing a walk earlier in the inning. The Hawks would tack on two more runs in the bottom half of the second with back-to-back RBI singles from Kellogg and Rivera. However, Manhattan would light up the scoreboard with one run in the third, eight in the sixth and five more runs in the seventh. Despite Kellogg's solo blast in the bottom of the seventh, the Jaspers advantage grew too much for the Hawks to overcome, eventually falling, 14-4.
INSIDE THE BOX & NOTES
- Couture got the start in game one, allowing three runs on seven hits over 6.1 innings with three strikeouts.
- Joe Dooley, Luke Rier (0-1) and Christian Krause each made relief appearances in game one.
- Rivera launched his first homerun of the season, going 4-for-9 on the day with a homerun and four RBI.
- Robert Chaney got the start in game two, allowing three runs on seven hits over 5.1 innings with five strikeouts.
- Derek Benzinger (0-1), Jake Burt and Dyllon King each made relief appearances in game two.
- Ryan Melendez recorded his first career triple in game two.
- Kellogg had a solid day at the plate going 4-for-8 with one homerun, two RBI and a walk.
NEXT ON TAP
Hartford wraps up its three-game weekend series against Manhattan on Saturday, March 18. First pitch between the Hawks and Jaspers is set for 1 p.m.