Hawks Baseball Takes Home The Sunday Sweep

Our University of Hartford baseball team took home a Sunday sweep this past weekend to close out their opening weekend. The Hawks took on the University of Binghamton Bearcats in a doubleheader, walking off in the first game by a score of 2-1. In the second game, Hartford game out swinging and picked up a solid 6-2 victory in game two. Sophomore Derek Tenney and graduate student Zachary Ardito provided the offense with three RBIs apiece on the day and the team improved to 3-1 in the America East standings.

Hartford was able to strike first, and early, during game one of the doubleheader, as Kyle Hawes served up a two-out RBI single into center field which scored John Thrasher to go up 1-0 in the first inning. Both teams were deadlocked through four innings, with the Hawks holding onto a slim one-run lead. The Bearcats got a run back after Shane Marshall’s RBI groundout. Tied up at one, the Hawks had a chance to walk it off and get the win. With the bases loaded, Derek Tenney was struck by a pitch, giving him an RBI and ultimately giving the Hawks a win.

Both teams took the field for game two, and the Bearcats struck first, plating a run in the second inning. However, Hartford was able to tie the game up at one as Zach Ardito reached second on an infield single and error in the field, which scored Donnie Cohoon from third. Just two batters later, Derek Tenney stepped up to the dish and smacked an RBI single into left, scoring Ardito and giving the Hawks a 2-1 lead.

The Hawks added a run in the sixth inning and would eventually blow the game wide open in the seventh inning. Hartford tacked on three runs in the seventh and Zach Ardito broke it open with a two-run double into right-center field. Binghamton would try to claw back with one run in the eighth, but it wasn’t enough as the Hawks held on to win by a score of 6-2.

To add to the Hawk’s incredible weekend, Graduate student Nathan Florence earned the America East pitcher of the Week award for his performance on Sunday. Florence went the distance in game one, tossing seven complete innings, allowing one run, six hits, and striking out seven in the Hawks victory. This is the second time in his career that he has taken home this honor, and the first Hawk to take home weekly honors so far this season.

With his conference-best 1.29 ERA, Florence and the Hawks look to keep their winning ways as they take on NJIT in a pair of doubleheaders this coming Saturday and Sunday at Fiondella Field. The first pitch for game one is set for noon.