UAlbany Sets Division I Record With 24-2 Win Over Hartford

Albany, N.Y. - Stellar performances from all eight seniors on the squad led UAlbany to a 24-2 victory over Hartford in the America East Conference baseball regular-season finale on Saturday afternoon at Varsity Field. The Great Danes scored in all but one inning, racking up 28 hits, and set a Division I program record with 24 runs in the game. UAlbany finishes up the regular season at 22-30-1 overall, and 16-8 in league play, also setting a program record for conference wins. The Great Danes plated six runs in the first inning, before Hartford scored its only two runs of the game in the top of the second. UAlbany followed with a single run in the bottom of the frame before racking up five in the bottom of the third, and three in the bottom of the fourth. The Great Danes then got single runs in the fifth and sixth before exploding for seven runs in the seventh. The only inning UAlbany went scoreless was the bottom of the eighth, but the Great Danes kept Hartford off the board in the top of the ninth to seal up the 22-run victory. Senior Joe Ilacqua went 4-for-6 with three runs scored and three RBI, while classmate Pete DiResta went 3-for-5 with five RBI and two runs scored. Senior Mike Tirri smacked three hits, including a home run, scoring four times. Playing in the final game of their career, senior pitchers Travis Wilson and Mike Baltera also made appearances. Wilson threw two scoreless, hitless innings, while Baltera fanned one while allowing one hit in one inning of work. Fellow seniors Zach Kraham, Greg Lutton and Ryan White were also honored prior to the start of the game. UAlbany, who finishes the regular season second in the league standings, will head to Stony Brook for the America East Conference Tournament, which starts Wednesday at the Seawolves' Joe Nathan Field. Press release and photo provided by UAlbany Athletics