University of Connecticut Athletics
Huskies Fall to Quinnipiac in Shortened Game
3/25/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
HAMDEN, CT (March 25) — Tim Binkoski’s sacrifice fly in the eighth proved to be the difference as The University of Connecticut baseball team dropped a 12-11 decision to intrastate foe Quinnipiac in Hamden, Conn. With the victory, Quinnipiac improves to 6-8, while the Huskies drop their first decision in 10 games and slip to 9-6 on the season.
The contest was called due to darkness immediately after Quinnipiac scored the go ahead run in the bottom half of the eighth.
The Huskies got off to a good start, seizing a 6-2 lead after the fourth. However, Quinnipiac answered with nine runs in the fourth and fifth and took an 11-7 advantage.
The Huskies scored in every inning except the eighth and would rally to knot the contest at 11 with three runs in the sixth. After Mike Mocerino led off the sixth with a single and advanced into scoring position on a wild pitch, Mike Leonard laced a double to right center, scoring Mocerino. Marc Peluso, who reached on a walk, would score on a pair of wild pitches and Leonard would cross the plate on a Jeff Hourigan sacrifice fly to tie it up.
However, as darkness fell, Bryan Sabatella led off the eighth with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice. An infield hit pushed Sabatella to third, setting up Binkoski’s game winning sacrifice fly.
Rich Sirois made the start in his first collegiate appearance, and went 1.2 innings giving up two runs on three hits while striking out three. Tim Norton would come in and get touched for nine runs in three innings of work. Freshman southpaw Ted Garry continued to be effective out of the pen, going 1.1 innings and surrendering no runs while giving up only two hits. Joe Smeraglino hurled 1.2 innings and gave up three hits and the game winning run.
Hourigan went 1-for-2 with two runs batted in and launched his fifth home run of the season. Mocerino had a 3-for-4 afternoon for UConn.
The Huskies return to action on Saturday, March 27 for their BIG EAST opener against Villanova. Game time is set for 12:00 noon in Philadelphia.
