Baseball Drops Non-Conference Game to Clark at Dunkin' Park Friday

HARTFORD, Conn. – The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) baseball team dropped a 9-4 decision to Clark University on Friday in a non-conference game played at Dunkin' Park, home of the Hartford Yard Goats.

Clark (23-12) struck early and late, scoring five runs in the first three innings and capping the game with three in the top of the ninth. The Blue Jays (22-14) pulled within one run midway through the game, but were unable to close the gap down the stretch.

The Cougars opened the game with a three-run first inning, taking advantage of three USJ errors and a walk. They added single runs in the second and third to go ahead 5-0. USJ responded with a pair of runs in the sixth, as junior outfielder Ryan Quinn (Middletown, Conn.) scampered home on a wild pitch and sophomore outfielder Joseph Fritz (Tampa, Fla.) came around to score after a Clark throwing error.

Saint Joseph added two more in the seventh to trim the gap to 5-4, with a run-scoring groundout by senior infielder Ryan Shaw (Ellington, Conn.) and an RBI single from Quinn. However, Clark padded its lead with a run in the eighth and three more in the ninth, including an inside-the-park home run to center by freshman outfielder Cole Camara (Pawtucket, R.I.), to account for the 9-4 final score.

Despite outhitting the Cougars 12-11, the Blue Jays stranded 10 runners and committed three errors in the loss.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Quinn paced the Blue Jays offensively, finishing 4-for-5 with a double, an RBI and a run scored.
• Junior infielder JJ Fox (Killingworth, Conn.) also recorded a multi-hit game, going 2-for-5.
• USJ's freshman starting pitcher Cam Zampolin (Massapequa, N.Y.) was handed the loss (2-3), allowing five runs (three earned) on five hits in 3.0 innings of work.
• Freshman Marcus Tarfano (Southington, Conn.) was effective in relief, tossing 2.2 hitless innings and striking out three.

UP NEXT

Baseball plays its final Great Northeast Athletic Conference games of the season, travelling to intrastate rival Albertus Magnus College for a doubleheader on Monday, April 28. First pitch of game one between the Blue Jays and the Falcons is set for 3:00 p.m. at Rochford Field in Hamden, Conn.

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