University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
Hartford
Minutement Fall to Hartford Hawks 8-2
March 28, 2007 | Baseball
March 28, 2007
WEST HARTFORD, Conn. - The Minutemen (4-8, 2-1) lost their second straight game as the team dropped an 8-2 decision to the Hartford Hawks (2-13). Sophomore Ryan Walczak (Taunton, Mass.) (0-1) took the loss, pitching four innings and allowing five hits, four runs, two earned runs while striking out three. Hartford jumped out to an early lead and the Minutemen were never able to recover.
Seven Minutemen collected hits on the afternoon. Adam Tempesta (Brockton, Mass.) and Bryan Adamski (South Deerfield, Mass.) each singled in a run.
Hartford got to Walczak in the first when an RBI single up the middle scored a runner from second. The Hawks would go on to score in three of the first four innings, running the score to 4-0.
The score remained 4-0 until the bottom of the sixth, when UMass finally put a run on the board. In the first five innings, the Minutemen were only able to muster two hits, but in the sixth the team broke through for three hits and one run. Mike Donato (East Hartford, Conn.) opened up the inning with a single but was doubled off on a McPherson grounder to shortstop. With two outs, senior Lou Proietti (Hamilton, Ont.) doubled to left field and Tempesta followed with a single to drive Proietti home. With the Proietti run, UMass closed the gap to three runs.
Unfortunately for the Minutemen, Hartford got that run back in the top of the seventh against Mitchell Eilenberg (Brooklyn, N.Y.). Centerfielder Adam Bowser laced a hit that Donato could not get to in time to keep Bowser from reaching third. The Hawks runner then reached home on an ensuing fielder's choice.
The Hawks would touch up Eilenberg for another run in the top of the eighth on a groundout to third, which drove in the sixth run of the afternoon.
In the top of the ninth, Mike Dicato (Winthrop, Mass.) came in to pitch for Eilenberg but did not fare better, yielding two runs to the Hawks. The sophomore hurler had trouble with his control as he hit two batters in the inning. He also balked early in the inning which helped the Hawks' cause. Junior Aaron Smith (Westfield, Mass.) relieved DiCato and secured the final two outs without allowing any more Hawks to cross the plate.
Facing a seven run deficit, UMass put together a rally, but could not sustain it long enough to close the gap. Junior Ryan Franczek (Chicopee, Mass.) opened the inning by reaching on an error by the leftfield. Adamski came through in the next at bat with a single to left to score Franczek. The Minutemen would put runners on first and second with two outs, but Donato ended the game with a ground out to third.
The Minutemen will continue their schedule with a three game set at Charlotte beginning on Friday at 3 p.m. Fans can follow the game on Gametracker via UMassAthletics.com
