Pat Longobardi, Sports Writer:
After a cold and rainy week that cancelled one game, No. 5 nationally ranked Southern baseball found themselves against the same team they recently played, rival University of New Haven.
Southern defeated UNH, 4-0, on April 10 at Vieira Field. This time, after trading the lead, center-fielder David Wirkus hit the game-winning RBI single in the 10th inning as UNH upset Southern, 7-6, in 10 innings in a Northeast-10 Conference game on April 14 at The Ballpark at Southern.
“It was an exciting four, five innings of fighting and scrapping,” said UNH head coach, Raphael Cerrato. “They are a good club (Southern). There are no easy outs.”
Shane O’Connell put UNH ahead in the first, 1-0, after an RBI single to left. UNH made it 3-0 in the third, when O’Connell singled to right, scoring two.
Southern made it 3-1 in the third when Ryan Geffert hit an RBI double to right center. Southern made it 3-2 in the fifth when Kyle Rosadino hit an RBI single to left. Southern tied it, 3-3, in the sixth. Nick DeProspo walked with the bases loaded, scoring T.J. Shea.
Geffert put Southern ahead, 4-3, in the seventh with a leadoff home run to right center. UNH led, 5-4, in the eighth. Andrew Johnson tied it with an RBI single to right off Southern’s closer, Mike Johnston. O’Connell put UNH ahead, scoring from third after a wild pitch to home plate.
“We had some good at-bats,” said Cerrato. “We left a lot of runners at third base.”
Southern led, 6-5, in the eighth. After Geffert intentionally walked to load the bases, A.J. Rouleau singled to left off of UNH closer, Mitch Rossi, scoring two runs. Johnston walked Wirkus and Clout to start the ninth. Brockett hit into a fielder’s choice to Johnston. Johnston walked O’Connell, loading the bases. UNH tied the game, 6-6, when Wirkus scored on Jack Heary’s fielder choice to shortstop.
Southern had their biggest opportunity when Michael Cleary doubled to left, leading off the ninth. Shea hit into a fielder’s choice to Rossi, catching Cleary in a run-down at third base.
Shea advanced to second on the play. Southern’s threat ended on a double play. T.K. Kiernan flied out to center, and Shea was thrown out going back to second.
In the 10th, UNH’s Brendon Buckley led-off, singling to center. Southern got two straight outs. Wirkus then singled to center, scoring Buckley.
Southern’s Kyle Cummings singled, leading off the bottom of the 10th. DeProspo sacrificed Cummings to second. Rosadino struck out looking. Geffert grounded out to second, ending the game.
Southern’s starter, Steve Simon, went 6.1 innings in a no decision, giving up three runs, three earned, seven hits, one walk and 10 strikeouts.
A.J. Turnier went 2.1 innings, giving up two runs, one earned, one hit, one walk and one strikeout. Johnston got the loss going three innings, giving up two runs, two earned, three hits, three walks and two strikeouts. Southern made four errors in the game.
“He (Simon) got out of some jams,” said Southern head coach, Tim Shea. “We were just terrible in every aspect. We tied the game, and we had a leadoff double to win.”
UNH’s sophomore, Taylor Candage, went five innings in a no decision, giving up two runs, two earned, five hits, three walks, and four strikeouts. Senior Mitch Rossi had the blown save pitching 2.1 innings giving up three runs, one earned, three hits, and one strikeout. Freshman Henry Hirsch got the win pitching two scoreless innings giving up two hits, and one strikeout. UNH moved to 17-11, 6-6. Southern, 27-2, 12-2.a
