Baseball Totals 14 Hits, But Slips At Hartford, 12-9

BOX SCORE

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – After Saturday’s pair of pitchers’ duels, the bats heated up Sunday in the series finale, as both Hartford and the University at Albany baseball teams racked up 14 hits in the contest. The hosting Hawks (21-14, 9-2) captured the series sweep, overcoming the Great Danes, 12-9, to hold sole possession of first place in the America East standings, while UAlbany fell to 7-22 overall and 4-11 in conference play.

Freshman righty Stephen Woods (1-4) took the loss, throwing the opening 2.0 innings, allowing seven runs and six hits, while striking out three. The Danes used six arms in the contest, as Brendan Ryan, Daniel Castro, Matt Gallup, Andrew Jaurique, and Cameron Sorgie also saw time on the hill.

Offensively, senior Brian Bullard led the squad, going 3-for-5 at the plate with a pair of RBIs and also scored two runs. Freshman Charlie Peltz also went 3-for-5 with an RBI and a run, while D.J. Hoagboon (2-for-5) piloted UAlbany with three runs batted in. In addition, junior Craig Lepre logged multiple hits, going 2-for-5 with two RBIs.

Through the first four innings, Hartford built an 8-1 lead, scoring a run in the first on a sacrifice fly, four in the second on five hits, two in the third on Brady Sheetz’s RBI triple and a run-scoring wild pitch, and one in the fourth, as Ryan Lukach and Sheetz strung together a pair of hits.

UAlbany scored its first run in the top of the third when Peltz led off with a single, Richard Bacon doubled down the left field line, and Bullard knocked one in with a one-out single to centerfield.

The Great Danes barked in the top of the fifth, scoring five runs to cut the deficit to two, 8-6. After Jeff VonMoser led off the frame with a bunt single to third and Bullard reached on an error, Hoagboon brought in two with his double to left center. After a pitching change, Josh Nethaway reached base on a plunk, and Evan Harasta followed with an RBI single to right-center. UAlbany continued to chip away, as Lepre knocked an RBI single to left-center, and Peltz lined a run-scoring single up the middle before the Hawks were able to escape the frame with a couple of groundouts.

Hartford answered back with three runs in the bottom of the fifth for an 11-6 advantage, but the Danes responded with a run of their own in the top of the sixth. Bullard led off with a single up the middle, and with two outs Lepre plated the senior with a single to center.

Using a sacrifice fly, the Hawks scored a run in the bottom of the seventh for a 12-7 lead.

In the top of the ninth, UAlbany looked to rally, putting two runners on immediately with back-to-back hit batsmen. Bullard took advantage with an RBI double down the left field line, and Hoagboon brought in a second run with a sac fly to center, scoring VonMoser. However, that would be the Great Danes’ final run of the ballgame, as closer Alex Gouin recorded the final two outs of the contest to pick up the save.

Middle reliever Jacob Mellin (2-0) earned the win, tossing two innings, allowing one run (none earned), three hits, and struck out three.

Up next, UAlbany opens a five-game home stand Wednesday, hosting Manhattan at 3:00 p.m. The Danes will return to conference play next weekend, bringing Stony Brook to Varsity Field for a three-game series.