CLEARWATER, Fla. (May 29, 2010) – Rutgers and Connecticut battled for 10 innings before the Huskies scored on an error in the bottom of the 10th to top RU, 11-10, and remain alive in a BIG EAST Baseball Championship semifinal-round game Saturday at Bright House Field in Clearwater, Fla. The Scarlet Knights (30-25), who suffered their first defeat of the tournament, and Huskies (46-13) will meet again around 9:45 p.m. tonight with the winner advancing to Sunday’s title game.
Junior Michael Lang (Dumont, N.J.) took the fifth pitch of the game over the left-field fence for the first of five hits for the Scarlet Knights that also included a two-run double from junior Jaren Matthews (Teaneck, N.J.) to give RU an early 3-0 lead in the first.
The Huskies countered with six runs in the bottom half of the first, capped by a two-run home run from LJ Mazilli to give UConn a 6-3 advantage through one inning.
Singles by Jarred Jimenez (Monroe, N.J.) and Lang were followed by a sacrifice fly from Pat Biserta (Pt. Pleasant, N.J.) to push across a fourth run for the Scarlet Knights.
Matthews tripled home a run in the fourth but Connecticut countered with an RBI double from Mike Olt in the bottom half of the frame to keep the two-run advantage at 7-5.
The Scarlet Knights opened the fifth with four-straight hits, including singles from Ryan Kapp (Toms River, N.J.) and Jayson Hernandez (Belmar, N.J.) and an RBI double from Jimenez and an RBI single from Dan Betteridge (Sewell, N.J.) to tie it up at 7-7 and chase UConn starter Robert Van Woert out of the contest. RU threatened for more in the inning with runners on first and third and no outs but reliever Dave Fischer prevented any further damage with an out at home on a steal attempt, a fly out and a strikeout.
RU used a two-out rally in the seventh to take its first lead since the opening inning when Biserta singled to left field and freshman Steve Nyisztor (Toms River, N.J.) hit his fourth home run of the season to make it 9-7. Matthews drew a walk and stole second where sophomore Russ Hopkins (Piscataway, N.J.) drove him in on a single to give RU a three-run advantage.
Olt opened the bottom half of the seventh with a walk and Mazilli doubled to right-center field and RU went to its bullpen again for Nate Roe (Plainfield, N.J.). Doug Elliot cleared the fence in left field for a three-run home run to tie it back up on the next play.
The Huskies got a man on third with one out in the eighth and the Scarlet Knights brought in closer Tyler Gebler (Toms River, N.J.), who posted a strikeout and induced an inning-ending groundout to end the threat.
RU put men on first and second in the ninth with leadoff singles from Nyisztor and Matthews before play was temporarily halted due to a lightning delay.
After play was resumed, UConn brought in Nick Ahmed to pitch and the Huskie hurler got a foul out, strikeout and groundout to prevent the go-ahead run from scoring.
Gebler worked out of a bases-loaded jam with two outs in the bottom of the ninth by getting cleanup hitter Mike Nemeth to fly out to center field to end the frame.
Connecticut’s Kevin Vance reached on an infield throwing error with one out in the 10th and moved to second on a hit a run that resulted in a groundout. With two outs, Billy Ferriter drilled a ball down the first-base line. Matthews, the first baseman, made a diving save as Vance rounded third and headed for home. The throw to home was high, allowing the winning run to score.
Ahmed (1-0) tallied his first win with two innings of relief, while Gebler (1-3) worked 2.1 innings of relief in the loss.
Nyisztor went 5-for-6 with two RBI and three runs scored, including the seventh-inning home run, while Lang collected four hits as every starter recorded at least one hit in the contest.
