Burgio’s Solo Homer Enough for Cougar Pitchers

MANCHESTER – (March 10, 2009) Peter Burgio (Bolton) broke a scoreless tie with a solo home run in the seventh inning as Manchester Community College beat Eastern Connecticut’s JV 1-0 on Tuesday afternoon at Cheney Tech.

Steve Simon (Middlefield), Dan Nelson (Glastonbury) and Tyler Wenz (Ogdensburg, NJ) scattered four hits over nine innings in what is believed to be the first college baseball game played in Connecticut in 2009.

Simon allowed two hits, struck out four and walked one while throwing 60 pitches over five innings. Nelson (1-0) picked up the win in relief with two strikeouts and a pick-off during his three frames before giving way to Wenz, who walked the first batter he faced, before striking out the side in order with the tying run 90-feet away.

“It was well played on both sides,” MCC Head Coach Chris Strahowski said of the two hour and nine minute game played between storms on Cheney synthetic field. “Pitchers threw strikes, defense played real well, we hit the heck out of the ball — the box score doesn’t show it, but we hit seven or eight balls real hard and hopefully that will continue.

The hardest hit ball was the one off Burgio’s bat leading off the seventh. The sophomore drilled a 2-0 fastball over the fence in left-center for the game’s only run

“It was well struck,” Strahowski said after starting his tenth season in the MCC dugout with a win. “I don’t know if it gets out of our field, at least off the wall. A couple of other balls that were caught here because of defenders playing a little differently may not have been caught at our place.”

Burgio, who had a pair of homers as a freshman in just 45 at-bats, also had a double in the fourth inning and looks ready to make the transition from role player to the everyday leftfielder.

“This is a good way to start the season,” Burgio said. “We have a real good team this year, maybe better than last. Our pitching is real good.”

The three Cougar pitchers struck out nine and Strahowski was impressed with the collective effort, especially considering the time of year.

“It’s their first time throwing out,” Strahowski said. “We’ve been keeping them inside even when we are practicing outside. No one threw a bullpen outside yet, so it’s a little bit of an adjustment for them.”

MCC Freshman Vin Sommo (Clinton) had three hits including a double in the eighth inning.

Manchester Community College 1 Eastern Connecticut JV 0

at Cheney Tech, Manchester, CT

ECSU JV 000 000 000 —– 0 4 0

Manchester CC 000 000 10x —– 1 7 2

E Andrew Morrison, Michael Hepple (6) and Eric Bukowski M Steve Simon, Dan Nelson (6), Tyler Wenz (9) and James McGowan, A.J. Lowers (7) HR: M Burgio WP: Nelson LP: Hepple; Records: E:2-1, M: 1-0

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