Final Stats

Three hurlers combined on a five-hitter and senior captain Justin Esquerra provided the timely hitting as Siena Baseball earned its first win of the year, 3-1 over perennial northeast power UConn at Tradition Field at the New York Mets' Spring Training Complex in Port St. Lucie, Fla. Sophomore southpaw Chris Amorosi tossed 4.2 scoreless innings in relief and was credited with the win.

Esquerra drilled an RBI double to left center and later scored on a passed ball as the Saints (1-4) jumped out to an early 2-0 lead following its first at-bat. Despite allowing 36 runs over its previous three games, that would be all the offense that the Siena pitching staff would need.

Senior captain Ed Lewicki allowed just one hit in going the first three innings, while Amorosi surrendered just three hits while walking none and striking out four in relief. Amorosi has tossed 7.2 scoreless innings over his first two relief appearances, striking out seven while not allowing a walk.

Senior Matt Quintana recorded the final four outs to earn the save as the trio silenced the UConn (1-4) bats which had pounded out 16 hits in a 12-4 series opening win over the Saints the day before.

Esquerra delivered a key insurance run in the top of the ninth, putting the game out of reach with a run-scoring single to left. Esquerra is off to a 9-20 start at the plate to start the season for Siena which had lost its first 17 games last year before bouncing back to win the MAAC Championship.

The Huskies got on the board in the bottom of the ninth with a one-out solo homerun from Jon Testani, but Quintana induced a foul out and struck out Jack Sundberg swinging to end the game as Siena improved to 8-5-1 all-time against UConn.

Anthony Kay was saddled with the tough luck loss for UConn, hurling eight innings while allowing just three hits and two runs (one earned), striking out 10 and walking just one.

The teams will square off in the rubber game of the series Monday at 1 p.m.