Box Score

NEW BRITAIN, Conn. - Simon Kudernatsch drove in four runs and Mike Amendola laced a single up the middle to plate Andrew Siano in the ninth inning as the Hartford baseball team opened its 2010 season with a dramatic, come-from-behind 12-11 victory at Central Connecticut on Wednesday afternoon. The trio combined for 12 of the Hawks' 19 hits as Hartford battled back from a 10-4 deficit with three runs in the fifth inning, four in the seventh and the deciding run in the ninth inning.

Mike Thatcher pitched two scoreless innings, allowing just one hit, to earn his first collegiate victory. Freshman Brian Rice pitched a perfect ninth inning to earn the save.

"As an offensive group, we had very good at bats," head coach Jeff Calcaterra said. "We stayed well balanced and disciplined at the plate. We came up with some bit hits and were able to score runs late to get the win."

Central Connecticut (0-4) drew first blood, scoring twice in the first inning off senior Zach Tarner. The Hawks (1-0) answered in the top of the second when redshirt freshman Jared Canney drove the first collegiate pitch he saw up and over the left field wall for his first Hartford home run.

The Blue Devils answered with two more in the bottom of the inning.

Down 4-1, sophomore Andrew Siano led off the third inning by ripping a triple to deep center field. The speedy outfielder was plated moments later when junior Simon Kudernatsch followed with a triple of his own, this one a shot to right center. After senior Mike Amendola drove Kudernatsch in with a sacrifice fly to right, junior Andy Drexel drilled his first home run of the season, a bomb to right field that tied the score at four apiece.

Drexel led the 2009 Hawks with seven home runs.

With one out in the fourth inning, the Blue Devils went to work. Starting with a single from Richie Tri, seven straight batters reached safely, capped by an RBI double from Mitch Wells. Senior Bob Rogers finally induced two groundouts to end the frame, but the Blue Devils had plated six runs and led the Hawks, 10-4.

From there, the comeback began. Amendola singled to lead off the Hartford fifth, and after Drexel followed with a single and Canney was hit by a pitch, sophomore Victor Santana pinch hit and drove home the fifth Hartford run with a slow roller to second. Now with two in scoring position and just one out, junior Rodger Wilmot went right back through the box for a two-run single to center field, pulling the Hawks back within striking distance at 10-7.

Central Connecticut would add a run in the fifth, but the tag team of freshman Anthony Mannuccia, sophomore Mike Thatcher and freshman Brian Rice shut the doors on the potent Blue Devil bats the rest of the way.

"Anthony coming in and striking out the side in the sixth really set the tone for the end of the game," Calcaterra remarked. "That was a big turning point for us. I was happy to see two freshmen and a sophomore hold their offense at bay. We've still got to do a better job early in the game."

In the seventh, the top of the order once again struck for the Hawks. After Wilmot walked, pinch hitting junior Mike Aldrich singled and Siano beat out an infield hit, loading the bases for Kudernatsch. The native of the Czech Republic stepped up and came through once again, this time with two outs. He roped a bases-clearing double to center field that pulled Hartford back within a run at 11-10. After Derek Drag relieved Jason Foster for the Blue Devils, Amendola's liner to right landed safely, allowing Kudernatsch to scamper home with the tying run.

It stayed tied until the ninth inning, and appeared that it would be knotted when Hartford went back out to the field in the bottom of the frame. Normand Gosselin coaxed two fly balls to start the top of the ninth, leaving two outs and no one on as Siano strode into the box.

Just looking to reach base any way he could, Siano laid down a perfect bunt, beating it out for an infield single. His speed rattled the Blue Devils, and he quickly advanced into scoring position thanks to a passed ball by catcher Sean Allaire. Kudernatsch kept the rally going by beating out an infield single to the left side, again moving Siano up 90 feet. Up stepped the senior Amendola, who responded to the pressure with a line drive single up the middle to give Hartford its first lead of the game.

In a game dominated by offense, it was a freshman making his first collegiate appearance who stepped up and calmly finished the game. Brian Rice got Kyle Zarotney to fly out to right for the first out of the ninth. Sean Miller-Jones, who finished the day 0-for-5, was victimized when Kudernatsch added a highlight with his glove, an over-the-shoulder catch in shallow left field. Tri softly grounded out to freshman Erik Figueredo to bring the game to a close.

"Overall, there were a lot of positives today," Coach Calcaterra summarized. To get 19 hits is a very good sign for our offense. Obviously we aren't going to get 19 hits every game, but I was very pleased with our approach at the plate. I was very happy with our discipline. In the end, our kids made the plays defensively that we needed to make. We got the big hits, and our pitchers were able to throw four goose eggs on them to close out the game."

Hartford will now take a trip to sunny Florida for its next four games. The Hawks will play a three-game set at Central Florida Friday through Sunday before a single game in Winter Haven against the Akron Zips on Monday.