Trailing by eight runs and having collected just one hit through five innings, things looked bleak for the University of Hartford baseball team.

The key word being LOOKED.

Hartford scored eight unanswered runs over four innings and simply ran out of daylight in finishing with a 10-10 tie with West Hartford rival Saint Joseph Tuesday at Fiondella Field.

Sophomore Cameron Boardman laces a two-out single that scored freshman Alex Popovich, and a fielding error enabled sophomore Jackson Ciccone to race home from first with the tying run and move Boardman to third. The winning run was inches away from being driven home as freshman Jon Melarzcik had his walk-off attempt run down on the warning track in the right-center gap.

The comeback wouldn't have been possible with the right arm of freshman Joe Ferucci. He halted the Blue Jay offense for the final 3.2 innings, allowing no runs on just one hit. It was in stark contrast to the other arms the Hawks had on the mound as the previous four hurlers, allowed 10 runs – eight earned – on just eight hits over 5.1 innings. The four pitchers also combined for nine walks and six hit batters.

After scoring three runs in the sixth inning, the Hawks had a great opportunity to fully seize control of the game as they loaded the bases with no outs and a run already across the plate. Back-to-back popups had USJ on the verge of wiggling entirely out of the jam, but a two-out walk brought home another run, and the inning came to an end on a force play.

Boardman got the rally going in the eighth with a leadoff double and scored on a Ciccone single. Boardman was one of four hitters with two hits in the game, going 2-for-4 with two runs scored, a double, and an RBI. Ciccone was 2-for-5 with a pair of runs scored and Popovich was 2-for-4 with three runs scored and two RBI. Freshman James Hinspeter also had two hits for the Hawks.

INSIDE THE BOX & NOTES

• Hartford allowed 17 free bases, 11 walks, and six hit batters.
• After Popovich led off the first with a solo home run, the Hawks didn't get another hit until the sixth inning.
• Sophomore Ryan Melendez finished with two RBI, marking the third consecutive game with multiple RBI.
• Sixth multi-hit game of the season for Boardman.
• Popovich extended his hitting streak to 11 games.

WHAT'S NEXT
Hartford (3-8-1) returns quickly to the diamond, hosting Westfield State 3:30 p.m. Thursday.