May 14, 2007

Final Stats

STORRS, CONN.-Making his first start since March 31, University of Connecticut junior center fielder Gordon Stevens turned in a 2-for-4 showing with a career-high four RBIs, including the game-winning, two run triple in the bottom of the eighth inning to lead the Huskies to a 10-8 victory over Marist Monday afternoon at J.O. Christian Field. 

Trailing by one run heading into the bottom of the eighth inning, UConn rallied for three runs to erase the slim deficit en route to its sixth with in its last eight games.  Junior third baseman Pat Mahoney reached base following a fielding error charged to Marist shortstop Matthew Lesyk (Abbottsford, British Columbia).  After senior right fielder Josh Farkes singled sharply to left field, Stevens laced a pitch into the right-center field gap to put the Huskies ahead for good with just UConn's second triple of the season.  Freshman left fielder Pete Fatse added an insurance run as he plated Stevens from third base with a sacrifice fly into center field.

Connecticut freshman reliever Robert Van Woert, working his fourth consecutive inning, worked around a pair of hits to strike out pinch hitter Justin Lepore (Madison, Conn.) looking to preserve the win for the Huskies.  Van Woert (7-1) won his seventh consecutive decision after allowing two runs (one earned) on six hits while striking out six in four innings of work.  Husky starter Brendan McGinn, who was in search of his eighth win of the season, earned a no decision after lasting five innings and surrendering six runs on 10 hits while striking out seven batters for the second consecutive start.

Marist reliever Tom Close (1-5, Devon, Pa.) suffered the loss after allowing four runs on three hits in 2-1/3 innings of work.  Starter Jacob Wiley (Cape Vincent, N.Y.) was touched for six run on seven hits in five innings of mound duty.

The Red Foxes scored the game's first run to take an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning as catcher Andrew Stanton (Delmar, N.Y.) produced a bases loaded sacrifice fly to center field to score first baseman Kenny Anderson (Randolph, N.J.).

UConn (27-24) answered with three runs in the bottom half of the second inning to take a 3-1 advantage.  Mahoney reached base with a two-out double to left field before Farkes singled through the right side to plate Mahoney.  After Farkes swiped second base to put himself in scoring position, Stevens blasted the second pitch he saw from Wiley over the right-center field wall for his first career home-run.    

Marist (18-29) scored three runs over the next two innings to regain the lead heading into the bottom of the fourth, but UConn answered with three runs of its own over the next two innings to retake its lead. In the home half of inning number four, Farkes delivered a two-out single to center field to score senior first baseman Matt Untiet, who started the inning with a double to left-center field.  Farkes finished the afternoon with a 3-for-4 performance with two RBIs and two runs scored. 

In the bottom of the fifth inning, the Huskies tacked on two more runs to extend their lead to 6-4 as senior shortstop Dennis Donovan belted his team-leading sixth home run of the season over the left field fence.  Sophomore second baseman Dale Brannon came around to score on the play as he reached base with a one-out single to right field. 

Marist regained the lead for the third time of the game by scoring three runs in the top of the sixth inning to take a 7-6 lead, but a sacrifice fly from Donovan in the bottom of the seventh inning evened the score at seven runs apiece.  Donovan finished the game with three RBIs to run his team-leading total to 40.  The Red Foxes took a brief 8-7 lead with a run in the top of the eighth inning by scoring on a throwing error charged to the UConn infield.

Lesyk and center fielder Max Most (Port Washington, N.Y.) had three hits to lead Marist offensively.

Marist is now tied with Saint Peter's for third in the league's standings at 12-11. The Peacocks swept the Red Foxes in Jersey City earlier this season. Rider is currently fifth at 11-12 in league play, but Marist holds the tiebreaker with the Broncs after taking two out of three meetings earlier this season in Poughkeepsie. The top four teams in the MAAC will qualify for the MAAC Tournament at Dutchess Stadium later this month.

Marist will face Siena (11-31 overall, 9-11 MAAC) in a doubleheader on Thursday at noon. The final game of the series will also be Friday at noon.