STORRS, Conn. (April 20, 2012) - Rutgers University baseball lost a pair of heartbreakers in a doubleheader at the University of Connecticut on Friday at J.O. Christian Field. The Huskies won by identical 9-8 scores to drop the Scarlet Knights to 21-17 for the season and 7-7 in the BIG EAST.
Junior Steve Zavala (Randolph, N.J.) led RU with five RBIs on the day, while classmate Jeff Melillo (Annandale, N.J.) increased his hitting streak to 17 games. Sophomore Nick Favatella (Washington Township, N.J.) has now reached base safely in 30-straight games.
GAME TWO RECAP GAME TWO BOX SCORE
Connecticut (23-16, 11-3 BIG EAST) received a walk-off single from Tim Martin in the bottom of the 10th inning to win, 9-8, the nightcap. Favatella came through with a clutch single to right-center to give Rutgers the lead heading into the ninth, but the Huskies came from behind on multiple occasions to earn the victory.
Melillo reached base in all five of his plate appearances with three walks and two hits, while junior Patrick Kivlehan (West Nyack, N.Y.) went 4-for-6 with three RBIs and a home run. Sophomore Joe D'Annunzio (Scotch Plains, N.J.) added three hits from the eighth spot in the order.
The Scarlet Knights bounced back quickly in game two after falling in the opener by scoring a pair of runs in the top of the first. Sophomore Brian O'Grady (Warminster, Pa.), who had two hits in each game, drew a walk to start the rally and Favatella replaced him on first base on a fielder's choice. Melillo then singled to the gap in right-center, with the runners moving up to second and third on an outfield error. Kivlehan knocked in Favatella with a chopped single for the first score of the game. Zavala then put the ball in play to second base with the infield back to allow Melillo to score.
The 2-0 lead did not last long, as UConn connected for a pair of two-out RBI hits to even the game after one inning.
In the third, Melillo lined a single up the middle with one out to extend his hitting streak. Kivlehan then rocketed a 2-0 pitch out of the park on a line for his team-leading eighth homer of the year. Zavala prolonged the rally by reaching on error, scoring on a single by junior Bill Hoermann (Toms River, N.J.).
The pitchers from staff each settled in to lock the score at 5-2 in favor of Rutgers until the visitors scored twice more in the sixth. Melillo drew a walk with two down, followed by an infield single from Kivlehan. The two runners each moved up a base on a throwing error, coming home on an opposite field single by Zavala to give RU the 7-2 advantage.
Connecticut cut into the deficit with four runs in the seventh, tying the game on a pair of doubles in the eighth.
In the top of the ninth with two outs, sophomore Pat Sweeney (Sparta, N.J.) and O'Grady each singled to set the stage for Favatella to give RU the lead. However, UConn evened the score once again on a two-out infield single in the bottom of the frame with two outs.
A unique and controversial play in the top of the 10th allowed the hosts to escape with no runs surrendered. With sophomore Michael Zavala (Randolph, N.J.) on second and Hoermann on first with two down, D'Annunzio struck out on a ball in the dirt but the UConn catcher did not tag the left fielder or throw the ball the first for the putout. Instead, he rolled the ball to the mound and Michael Zavala sprinted home from second to score for what was initially ruled the go-ahead run. The three umpires then gathered and ruled that D'Annunzio had surrendered himself and that he was out, nullifying the run.
Connecticut then scored a run in the 10th to sweep the doubleheader.
Junior Rob Smorol (Clark, N.J.) had another effective start for RU, working 6.1 innings with five strikeouts for a no decision. Classmate Jerry Elsing (Montville, N.J.) (0-2) took the loss out of the bullpen.
For the Huskies, Dan Feehan (1-1) earned the win in relief, going 1.1 scoreless frames on the mound.
GAME ONE RECAP GAME ONE BOX SCORE
Connecticut took game one of the doubleheader, 9-8, behind a late home run in the eighth inning. Melillo recorded his third homer of the season and picked up a career-high four RBIs in the game. Steve Zavala and O'Grady each had two base hits for the Scarlet Knights, who fell to 3-8 in the first game of a series.
Down by six runs entering the sixth inning, Rutgers chipped away at the deficit with three runs to get back into the game. With one out Sweeney was hit by a pitch and O'Grady and Favatella each singled to load the bases. Melillo then worked a walk for an RBI, with Kivlehan being hit by a pitch to bring home another. Steve Zavala then hit a sacrifice fly to center field to chase home Favatella for the third run of the inning.
Sophomore Charlie Lasky (Freehold, N.J.), who worked 2.1 innings with one hit allowed, then sat down the Huskies in order to set up another RU rally in the seventh.
The first two hitters were retired, but O'Grady worked a walked to put the pressure on UConn. Favatella then reached on an error to extend the inning to send Melillo to the plate. On a 1-2 pitch, the catcher put a ball in the bushes beyond the left field wall to even the score at seven, a dramatic blast. The rally was not done as Kivlehan was hit by a pitch again and swiped second immediately. Steve Zavala then shot one up the middle to bring home the third baseman and give Rutgers its first lead of the day, 8-7.
However, Ryan Fuller hit a two-run homer with one out in the bottom of the eighth to give the Huskies the lead and the win.
Scott Oberg (4-0) earned the win out of the bullpen for UConn, while junior Charlie Law (Mainland, N.J.) (1-3) suffered the loss in one inning of relief.
The series finale will be on Saturday, April 21 at Dodd Stadium in Norwich, Conn., starting at 12 noon. Senior Ryan Fasano (Stony Point, N.Y.) will make the start for RU, while Anthony Marzi will go for UConn.
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