University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
Hartford
Hartford Defeats UMass 6-2 In Hawk Home Opener
March 29, 2006 | Baseball
March 29, 2006
The Minutemen (2-11, 0-3 Atlantic 10) continued their 17 game road trip with a loss, falling to the Hawks of Hartford (2-17, 0-0 America East) by the score of 6-2 in East Hartford, Conn. Hartford starter Jason Krajeski held UMass to just two hits and no runs during his seven-inning outing as he earned the win improving to 1-1. The Minutemen were able to touch up the Hawk bullpen for two ninth-inning runs on RBIs by sophomore Andy Tuetken (Smithfield, R.I.) and junior Travis Munsey (Durham, N.H.), but the rally came to late as the UMass dropped its sixth straight decision.
Hartford jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the bottom half of the second inning as DH Erik Price and first baseman Derek Litke hit back-to-back home runs off freshman starter Tom Cote (East Swanzey, N.H.). Bill Perry followed with a double to center, but Cote was able to settle down and get out of the inning without Perry scoring..
Litke was the offensive star for Hartford on the day going 2-4 with four RBI. His other three RBI came on a double to center that gave the Hawks a 6-0 advantage in the fifth. Right fielder Ben Sobocinski had the other RBI for Hartford and was 1-4.
Cote struggled in his second start of the season, allowing six runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings of work as he took the loss, falling to 0-2 The Minutemen bullpen was outstanding in relief as freshmen Mike Dicato (Winthrop, Mass.) and Al Jardine (Neptune City, N.J.) combined for 3 2/3 innings of scoreless relief. Jardine had his best appearance of the season allowing no hits and just one walk in his two innings of work.
Offensively, the problem for the Minutemen wasn't getting runners on, but putting them across the plate. UMass stroked five hits and drew eight walks off of Hartford pitching. Sophomore Ryan Franczek (Chicopee, Mass.) and junior Lou Proietti (Hamilton, Ont.), the two and three hitters for the Minutemen, each reached base three times, but were left stranded on base. Overall, the UMass lineup had eight runners left on base.
UMass mounted the beginnings of a come back in the top half of the ninth as they loaded the bases on hits by freshmen Jim Macdonald (Cheshire, Conn.) and Joe Cotone, (Yorktown, N.Y.) and a walk by freshman Adam Tempesta (Brockton, Mass.). Tuetken followed with a single that plated Macdonald from third. The following batter, Munsey, hit into a 4-6-3 double play that scored Cotone making it 6-2. Hawk reliever Chris Browne was able to retire senior Derrick Durepo (Ware, Mass.) on strikes to end the game.
The Minutemen will be back in action Friday afternoon as they take on conference rival Richmond in Richmond, Virginia. Junior Chris Lloyd (North Adams) is the expected starter for the Minutemen. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m and fans can follow the game via Gametracker on www.umassathletics.com
