Baseball Rallies Late To Defeat Connecticut, 9-3
4/19/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Trailing, 1-0, in the top of the third inning, the Pirates (25-13, 12-5) loaded the bases and tied the game when senior Matt Skopak (Essex Fells, N.J.) became the third straight hits-batsmen scoring junior Chris Affinito (East Brunswick, N.J.). The Pirates took a, 3-1, lead when senior Dan Lopez (Weehawken, N.J.) and junior Greg Miller (Shamong, N.J.) scored on a throwing error by freshman second baseman Pierre LePage.
Connecticut (19-21, 6-11) tied the game in the bottom half of the inning. After loading the bases with no outs, senior Pat Mahoney grounded into a double play scoring sophomore Harold Brantley, cutting the lead to, 3-2. Freshman Mike Olt tied the game with an RBI triple.
With the score tied at three in the top of the seventh, Miller hit an RBI single scoring junior Matt Smedberg (Rockaway, N.J.) from third base. Already ahead, 4-3, the Pirates added the insurance with a two-run double by Affinito in the eighth inning, and run-scoring singles by sophomore Chris Fontenelli (Toms River, N.J.) and freshman A.J. Rusbarsky (Freehold, N.J.) in the ninth.
Affinito went 3-for-4 with a run score and two RBI to lead the Pirates, while Miller finished the day 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI. Olt was the only Huskie with multiple hits ending the day 2-for-4 with two RBI.
Junior Corey Young (Shrewsbury, N.J.) (6-2) earned his second victory of the week allowing three runs, two earned, on four hits in seven innings, striking out six. Junior David Erickson (1-1) suffered the loss after surrendering a run on two hits in 4.2 innings of relief. Junior Keith Cantwell (Tinton Falls, N.J.) picked up his third save of the season with two perfect innings striking out one.
The Pirates and Huskies will complete the three-game series Sunday afternoon in Connecticut. First pitch is scheduled for
