Score: Arizona 11, UAlbany 3
Location: Hi Corbett Field in Tucson, Ariz.
Records: UAlbany (0-3); Arizona (3-0)
Short Story: The Great Danes pulled to within one run in the sixth inning but fall to Arizona, 11-3.
Key Stats
- UAlbany starter Anthony Germinerio went three innings, giving up two runs on four hits with one walk and no strikeouts.
- Joe Kruszka went three innings, giving up four runs on four hits with four strikeouts and three walks.
- Brad Malm went 3-4 with two runs scored and one walk.
- Freshman Matt Soloman recorded his first career RBI.
- Arizona starter Chandler Murphy went five innings, giving up no runs on three hits with seven strikeouts and two walks.
- Arizona outscored UAlbany 38-10 in the series.
Recap
The University at Albany baseball team looked to take the series finale against the University of Arizona Sunday afternoon. After pulling to within one run in the top of the sixth inning, a three-run bottom half helped Arizona secure an 11-3 win.
Nick Kondo led the game off with a single and
Brad Malm followed two batters later with his first hit of the 2020 campaign. With one out and runners on first and second,
Marc Wangenstein and
Alex Thul struck out to end the inning. After retiring the first two Wildcats,
Anthony Germinerio issued a four-pitch walk, followed by an RBI triple, giving Arizona a 1-0 lead after one.
Arizona followed a 1-2-3 top of the second inning with another run in the bottom half. After Germinerio retired the first two hitters, an infield single followed by a hit batter led to an RBI single by Arizona's Donte Williams, giving the Wildcats a 2-0 lead.
With one out in the third inning, Kondo was hit by a pitch, followed by a
Dolan Ocasal single to left field. After a Malm strikeout, both runners advanced with a steal but Wangenstein was unable to drive either in. Germinerio responded with a seven pitch 1-2-3 inning against the heart of the Arizona lineup.
Thul walked to lead off the fourth inning, but was thrown out on a fielder's choice.
Jason Bottari stole second in the inning but was left on base. In the bottomof the fourth, Germinerio gave up a leadoff single and UAlbany skipper
Jon Mueller called to Collegiate Baseball Preseason All-American
Joe Kruszka for the first time in the series.
Retiring the first two batters he faced, Kruszka ran into trouble after a bloop single, walk and hit batter loaded the bases. After issuing a bases loaded walk he recorded a strikeout, limiting the Wildcat damaging to one run giving them a 3-0 lead.
In the top of the fifth,
Dolan Ocasal recorded the third Great Danes hit with two outs but was caught stealing to end the inning. In the bottom half, Kruszka gave up only one hit in a scoreless second inning of work.
A Malm walk and Wangenstein single, followed by a Thul ground ball, that turned into an Arizona, error loaded the bases in the top of the sixth. Bottari responded to the bases loaded and no outs situation with a fielder's choice RBI that turned into two runs on another Arizona error.
Matt Soloman and
John Daly struck out the next two at bats, but Daly reached on a wild pitch to extend the inning.
Ben Beauchamp walked to load the bases but Kondo struck out looking to end the inning.
Arizona led of the bottom of the sixth with a single, hit by pitch and walk to load the bases. Austin Wells hit a two-run single, followed by a walk to load the bases for the second time in the inning with no outs. After an RBI sacrifice fly, the next two Wildcats struck out but not before they extended their lead to 6-2.
The Great Danes loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the seventh for Soloman who was able to drive in his first collegiate run with a walk, cutting the Arizona lead to 6-3.
Kenny McLean replaced Kruszka in the bottom half, leaving the bases loaded but not before Arizona scored another run on a sacrifice fly, extending their lead to 7-3.
After sending down the Great Danes in order in the top of the eighth, the Wildcats added four runs in the bottom half. With the bases loaded and one out, Arizona hit a two-run single, followed by a pair of one-run doubles, providing an 11-3 cushion.
The Great Danes were able to load the bases in the ninth with a single, walk and advance on catcher's interference but all three were left on base, sealing the 11-3 Arizona victory.
Next: UAlbany returns to action against Maryland Eastern Shore on Friday, February 21 at 2:00 p.m.
