Baseball Falls to No. 6 Missouri 7-1 in Season Opener

Connecticut vs Missouri (Feb 22, 2008)

DeLAND, Fla. (February 22, 2008) — The University of Connecticut baseball team  fell to Missouri 7-1 in the Huskies' 2008 season opener on Friday afternoon in DeLand, Fla. at Stetson University's Melching Field.

After two scoreless innings, UConn got on the board first with a run by freshman Mike Nemeth (Washington, N.J.). Nemeth recorded his first collegiate hit with a single to centerfield to lead off the inning. Elliot Glynn (Los Alamitos, Calif.) followed with his first hit as a Husky, to move Nemeth to second, before a fielder's choice advanced Nemeth to third. Senior co-captain Pat Mahoney (Des Moines, Iowa) picked up his first RBI of the season with a single to left to score Nemeth to put the Huskies' up 1-0.

In the bottom of the inning, Missouri's Greg Folgia started a Mizzou rally by reaching base on a UConn fielding error before moving to third on a hit batter and a sacrifice bunt. Folgia scored the unearned run on a Kurt Calvert single to tie the game at one. After a stolen base by Calvert, Aaron Senne singled to score two and put Missouri up 3-1.

Missouri followed up with three more runs in the fourth, led by back to back singles to lead off the inning. After a walk, two hit batters put Mizzou up 5-1. A sacrifice fly by Calvert added to the Mizzou tally before a UConn double-play to end the inning.

The Tigers added to their five-run lead with a run in the bottom of the eighth off a Calvert double. Calvert finished the game 3-for-4 with one run scored and three RBIs.

Nemeth went 2-for-4 with one run scored while Glynn added a 2-for-2 performance and two walks for the Huskies. Sophomore Harold Brantley Jr. (Silver Spring, Md.) and Mahoney added one hit a piece in UConn's first game of the year.

Bob Van Woert (Johnson City, N.J.) started the game on the mound for the Huskies, while he recorded five hits and two strikeouts in four innings pitched. John Folino (Quincy, Mass.) took the hill for one inning, while allowing one hit and two strikeouts. Erik Turgeon (Palm Harbor, Fla.) and freshman Ted Hurvul (Monroe, Conn.) also saw time for the Huskies, each throwing one inning and allowing one hit a piece.

Missouri's Aaron Crow recorded seven strikeouts in five innings for the Tigers, to earn his first win of the season.

UConn begins the season with a 0-1 record while Missouri starts 2008 with a 1-0 win-loss showing.

The Huskies will return to action on Saturday, February 23, as they take on host, Stetson in a 7:00 p.m. match-up at Melching Field.

 -UCONN-