Seven-Run Second Inning Helps Lift UB Baseball To An 8-3 Win Over Mercy

Bridgeport, Conn.-A big seven-run second inning, keyed by a three-run home run off the bat junior Alex Rauso (Trumbull, Conn.), helped lift the University of Bridgeport baseball team to an 8-3 East Coast Conference home win over the visiting Mercy College Mavericks in the opener of a four-game weekend series on Friday afternoon in Seaside Park.  The Purple Knights, winners of four games in a row, are now 7-14 overall and 4-1 in conference play.  Mercy is now 10-14 overall and 2-3 in the ECC.

Every player in the Bridgeport batting order had at least one hit on Friday, as the Purple Knights banged out 10 as team, and freshman Matt Rodriguez (New Milford, Conn.) had a pair of knocks for the winners.

Along with Rauso's three runs batted in, UB got single RBIs from Rodriguez along with classmates Ryan Donnelly (Fairfield, Conn.) plus Cory Listing (West Sand Lake, N.Y.) and sophomore Patrick Palmer (Ansonia, Conn.).

On the mound, sophomore Anthony Martino (West Sayville, N.Y.) earned his second win of 2019, working five innings allowing three runs on six hits with eight strikeouts and four walks.  Senior Andrew Oswald (St. James, N.Y.) pitched four scoreless innings in relief to pick up his first save of the season, as he allowed only one hit and fanned five while issuing three walks.

The same two team will play a doubleheader at Mercy on Saturday beginning at 12 noon tomorrow and then wrap up the four-game set back in Seaside Park with a single game on Sunday slated for a 1:00 p.m. first pitch.