University of Connecticut Athletics
Bowling Green Defeats Baseball, 8-3
3/6/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
BRADENTON, Fla. (March 6, 2005) – The University of Connecticut baseball team lost for the first time in its spring break schedule as the Huskies fell to Bowling Green by a score of 8-3 on Sunday afternoon in Bradenton, Fla.
A combination of strong hitting by Bowling Green and five errors by the Huskies contributed to the third UConn loss of the season as the team moves to .500 (3-3) early in its 2005 schedule.
In a game that saw Bowling Green out-hit the Huskies 15-8, the Falcons got an early 4-0 lead with a run in the bottom of the first inning and three on the second.
The Falcons then added two more runs in the bottom of the fifth to increase their lead to six before UConn responded to get on the board in the top of the next inning. Senior Tony Mallozzi doubled to lead off the sixth. Fellow senior Russ D’Argento then was hit by a pitch, with classmate Jeff Hourigan drawing a walk to load the bases.
The first UConn run was scored when freshman Matt Karl walked in the next at-bat to move Mallozzi home. Sophomore Dennis Donovan then singled to score D’Argento and Hourigan to cut the Bowling Green lead in half at 6-3.
But the three runs would be all the offense that the Connecticut bats could muster as the Falcons scored a single run in the sixth and eighth innings to put the game away at 8-3.
Junior starter Brendan McGinn registered the loss, allowing three earned runs and six overall on nine hits while striking out four. McGinn was relieved by freshmen David Erickson, who also fanned four, and Josh Moore, along with junior Joshua MacDonald. Burke Badenhop got the win for Bowling Green, throwing 5.1 innings with two earned runs on four hits while striking out six.
Six Huskies tallied hits in the game, with only freshman Pat Mahoney and junior Bryan Maler having two-hit games. Designated hitter Josh Dietz led the Falcons with a 3-for-4 performance, scoring twice while driving a run. Andy Hudak also had a three-hit game, going 3-for-5 with a run and RBI.
The Huskies will continue their Florida spring break schedule when they face Holy Cross at 8:00 p.m. on Monday, March 7.
