University of Connecticut Athletics
UConn Baseball Takes One of Two From Rutgers
3/25/2001 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
- Game One Box Score [.pdf]
- Game Two Box Score [.pdf]
NORWICH, Conn. - A solid complete game three-hitter by Patrick Sperone (Jr., Sicklerville, MA) would be enough, but a two home run performance by Joe Kagerer (Sr., Lebanon, CT) wouldn't be as the University of Connecticut baseball team split a doubleheader with Rutgers Sunday at Senator Thomas J. Dodd Stadium in Norwich, CT. With a 3-1 win in the first game and a 7-4 loss in the second, UConn is now 6-13 on the season, but is 4-3 in the BIG EAST. Rutgers' record stands at 15-7 overall and 5-2 in the league.
Perhaps the first inning of the game was a sign of things to come when Sperone sat down three Scarlet Knight batters in order to retire the side. In UConn's first inning at bat, the Huskies jumped on Bobby Brownlie, one of the league's top pro prospects, as Mike Scott (Jr., Darien, CT) got it started with a single and got into scoring position with his third stolen base of the year. The single was one of three on the contest for Scott as he went 3- for-3. He would make it over to third before Cy Hess (Jr., Oakdale, CT) singled to short to bring him in. When Jon Gorrie (Jr., Northboro, MA) singled to left center, Hess was able to advance to third, clearing the way for Gorrie to swipe second as well. Brian Tisbert (Sr., Andover, MA) capped the inning as he lifted a sac fly into center to plate Hess.
UConn tagged Brownlie for another in the third when Peter Soteropolous (So., Peabody, MA) got into scoring position as he came up with his first of two steals on the game, before Hess got one of his two team-leading RBI with a single.
The sixth inning saw Rutgers get its best opportunity to get back into the game when Billy McCarthy, who finished 2-for-3, hit into right center to allow Matt Wolski to score. Sperone then walked the bases loaded, but worked out of the jam by getting Todd Speedy to fly out to center.
In the bottom half of the frame, Brownlie would have to leave the game after Gorrie lined one back at him as the ball ended up slamming into Brownlie's throwing hand. Brownlie was reported to have felt fine at first, but would complain of numbness as the contest wore on.
Sperone was credited with the win to go to 3-1 as he went the distance allowing three hits and one run, which was earned, while also striking out a season high six batters. Brownlie got the loss to even his record at 2-2 by pitching five innings, giving up eight hits, three runs, all earned and striking out five.
In game two, Rutgers got out to a 4-0 lead when Mike Popowski homered in the second and a wild pitch, a passed ball and a throwing error charged to Tisbert helped the Scarlet Knights put three runs up in the fourth. In UConn's half of the inning, Kagerer sliced the lead in half on one of his two shots that exited the park over the left field fence with Russ D'Argento (Fr., Ashland, MA) being brought in on the homer.
In the fifth, Rutgers added three more thanks in part to a Val Majewski two-run triple to right center and a miscue by Kagerer on a throw to first, which allowed Majewski to reach.
In the sixth, Kagerer would homer again to the same area to lead off the inning and after a Hess triple to left center and a Tibert single to left accounted for the final Husky run in the ninth UConn's rally fell short.
Connecticut did have its chances, however, as the team outhit Rutgers 13 to nine and left a dozen runners stranded.
Buddy Gallagher picked up his fourth win to remain perfect on the season with eight innings of work, 12 hits, four runs, all earned, two walks and eight strikeouts. For UConn, Jeff Fulchino (So., Hollis, NH) went all nine and fell to 0-5 with nine hits, seven runs, five earned, four walks and three strikeouts.
UConn will next play UMass on March 28 and Northeastern on March 29 with both games starting at 3 p.m. The locations of these games as well as next weekends' series against Virginia Tech will be announced tomorrow.
Game One UConn, 3, Rutgers, 1Rutgers (14-7, 4-2) 000 001 0 -1 3 0UConn (6-12, 4-2) 201 000 X-3 8 0
Patrick Sperone and Mike Leonard. Bobby Brownlie, Eric Brown (6) and Mike Popowski. Win-Sperone (3-1), Loss-Brownlie (2-2). 2B-(RU) McCarthy. SF-(UC) Tisbert. SB-(UC) Scott, Soteropoulos, 2, Gorrie, (RU)-McCarthy. CS-(UC)-Scott, Tisbert. LOB-UConn-3, Rutgers-5
Game TwoRutgers, 7, UConn, 4, Rutgers (15-7, 5-2) 010 330 000- 7 9 0Connecticut (6-13, 4-3) 000 201 001- 4 13 2
Jeff Fulchino and Mike Leonard. Buddy Gallagher, Eric Brown (9) and Alberto Vasquez. Win-Gallagher (4-0), Loss-Fulchino (0-5). E-(UC) Tisbert, Kagerer. 2B-(UC) Tisbert, (RU)-Majewski. 3B-(UC)-Hess, (RU)-Majewski, McCarthy. HR-(UC) Kagerer, 2, (RU)-Popowski. HBP-(UC)-Soteropoulos. SH-(UC)-Kagerer, (RU)-Popowski. SB-(UC)-Tisbert, (RU)-McCarthy. CS-(RU)-Ciemniecki.LOB-UConn-12, Rutgers-4DP-UConn-2
