Connecticut 7, Brooklyn 3
In his first start of the season, Ricky Knapp struggled to find any rhythm resulting in a Cyclones loss to the Connecticut Tigers on Thursday, 7-3. The Tigers took two of three from the Cyclones, who once again fall a game under .500.
The Cyclones scored once in each of the first three innings, but were not able to overcome the five runs that Connecticut scratched across through the first two innings. After Knapp gave up two hits to start the inning, hot hitting Dominic Ficociello drove in the first run of the game on an RBI single up the middle. Two more runs would score in the inning giving the Tigers an early 3-0 lead.
Brooklyn responded immediately thanks to a leadoff double by spark plug Patrick Biondi. Biondi advanced to third on a fly ball out to right hit by Gavin Ceccini.L.J.Mazzilli then did his job by driving in Biondi on a groundball out to the right side of the infield. Both Biondi and Cecchini had multi-hit games, and helped cut the deficit to 3-1.
Connecticut scored two more in the second inning off of Knapp. Ficociello drove in another run in the second inning on an RBI single to left field. Ficociello dominated Brooklyn this series driving in six runs. The Tigers scored another run in the inning on an RBI single from Patrick Leyland, extending the Tigers lead to 5-1. All five runs were charged to Knapp, who was replaced by Juan Urbina midway through the second.Knapp only tossed 1.2 IP, allowing seven hits and five runs.
The Cyclones scored two more to get the score to 5-3. In the bottom of the secondEddie Rohan hit a long double deep into centerfield that drove in Jonathan Clark.Rohan now has three doubles and five RBI in his last four starts. The run in the third came on an RBI single from Mazzilli for his second RBI of the game.
In relief of Knapp, Urbina did a nice job going 3.1 IP, allowing no earned runs and two hits. Kevin McGowan was next on the mound for Brooklyn, and finished with 3.0 IP, giving up five hits and one run.
Key Stats
Patrick Biondi: 2-for-3, 1 2B, 1 BB, 2 R
Gavin Cecchini: 3-for-4
L.J. Mazzilli: 1-for-4, 2 RBI
Jonathan Clark: 2-for-4, 1 R
Ricky Knapp: 1.2 IP, 7 H, 0 BB, 5 ER, 2 K
Juan Urbina: 3.1 IP, 2 H, 0 BB, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 K
(Team Report)