WEST HARTFORD, Conn. - The Hartford baseball team sweeps their doubleheader at home this Saturday afternoon as they took on Nichols College to celebrate their senior day victorious. The Hawks finished the first game with a 5–2 victory, and went the distance in the second game going 14 innings ultimately defeating Nichols 7-6. With this win the Hawks earn their tenth win in a row, they are now 10-2 in the Conference of New England (CNE).

Rapid Recap Game 1 (W, 5-2):

• Nichols jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning on a two-run double by Ryan Keating, but Hartford answered in the bottom of the second. Senior Jeremy Mangiameli (Middlefield, Conn.) sparked the rally with an RBI double, followed by run-producing hits from junior Zaynn Godbee (Hartford, Conn.) and sophomore Nico DiGioia to put Hartford ahead 3-2.
• The Hawks' pitching staff settled in as junior Anthony Bubba (Jefferson, N.J.), held the Bison scoreless the rest of the way, while the defense tightened up behind him.
• Hartford added insurance in the sixth inning, with RBI hits from senior Jackson Ciccone (Danbury, Conn.)and Mangiameli extending the lead to 5-2. From there, Bubba closed things down from the mound to secure the win. The Hawks took the first over the Bison. 5-2.

Post Game Press:
"I wanted that game," said  junior Anthony Bubba (Jefferson, N.J.), "and we got it now we are going to take game two right after this. Our nine-game win streak can be attributed to us playing as a family, when our pitching staff has it, our hitting has it. We are always playing as one and playing for each other rather than for ourselves from now on."

On the Mound:

• Junior Anthony Bubba (Jefferson, N.J.) earned the win, pitching all nine innings only allowing five hits and two runs. Bubba tossed seven strikeouts with just one wild pitch. 

At the Plate:

• The Hawks were led by Mangiameli who finished 2-for-3 with a double, two RBIs, a run scored, and a walk. 
• Junior JJ Romatzick (Stratford, Conn.) went 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored, while senior Cameron Boardman (Daegu, South Korea) had a day going 2-for-3 with a double. 

Rapid Recap Game 2 (W, 7-6):

• Nichols struck first with a three-run third inning, but Hartford quickly responded in the bottom half, getting an RBI single from Mangiameli and a run on a wild pitch to cut into the deficit. The Hawks tied the game at 3-3 in the fifth on an RBI single from Ciccone.
• The game see-sawed late, with Nichols reclaiming the lead before Hartford again answered in the seventh as Romatzick RBI groundout. The teams traded runs into extra innings, including a two-run ninth for Hartford to force the game beyond regulation. 
• Neither side could break through across several scoreless extra frames until the 14th, when Hartford finally ended it. After Romatzick was hit by a pitch and junior Alex Popovich (Dudley, Mass.) drew a walk, senior John Russell (Eastchester, N.Y.) delivered a bunt single to score Romatzick and secure the walk-off win.

Post Game Press:
We caught up with senior John Russell (Eastchester, N.Y.) who had this to share about his game-winning play, "When I got into the box I looked and saw the sign that they gave me, and had to execute and come out of there with a win." When asked about their comeback, Russell said, "IIt all starts with the guys on the bumps, Featherstone coming in there and shutting it down helped our team get to the win."

On the Mound:

• Hartford used a deep pitching staff across 14 innings to secure the win. Senior Joe Dooley (West Hartford, Conn.) opened the game with five innings, allowing three runs, one earned, and four hits with one strikeout. Junior Sam Smith (Branford, Conn.) followed with one inning giving up two runs on three hits.
• Sophomore Michael Greco (Berkeley Heights, N.J.) tossed one scoreless inning with one strikeout.
• Senior Michael Featherstone (Ramsey, N.J.) worked 4.1 innings, allowing one run on five hits with three strikeouts. Junior Julian Rondon (West Nyack, N.Y.) earned the win after 2.2 scoreless innings of relief, striking out four while keeping Nichols off the board in the late frames. 

At the Plate:

• The Hawks were led by Ciccone who went 2-for-5 with an RBI and two walks. Russell finished 2-for-6 with two RBIs and a run scored. Romatzick went 1-for-6 with a run scored an RBI, while Popovich drove in a run adn reached base twice. 

Up Next:
The Hawks will hit the road as they take on Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston this upcoming Tuesday, April 21st at 6:00 p.m.

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