DANBURY, Conn. - The Western Connecticut State University baseball team erupted for nine runs in the second inning but it wasn't enough as they eventually became a victim to a late rally, falling to the visiting University of Saint Joseph, 16-15, on Monday afternoon at Westside Field. The hosts held an 11-3 advantage heading into the fifth before the Blue Jays mounted the comeback.

Sophomore Nick Lobuono (Trumbull, Conn.) drove in six runners on three hits to lead the Wolves. Junior catcher Anthony Marsala (Beacon Falls, Conn.) chipped in with four hits and two RBI's, while classmate Thomas Keough (Plainville, Conn.) also drove in a pair on three hits.

Jack Kane smashed a homer to get things started in the top of the first, giving Saint Joseph an early 2-0 lead. Keough reached on an error that scored a run in the bottom half. The Blue Jays added another run in the top of the second to pull ahead, 3-1. However, the Wolves responded in a big way in the bottom portion of the frame. They reeled off five singles and a double en route to a nine run barrage. Sophomore Justin Reo (Plainview, N.Y.) plated the first run before Marsala ripped an RBI double to round out the flurry, giving WestConn a 10-3 lead. 

Lobuono followed it up with an RBI double of his own in the third, extending the advantage to 11-3. But the Blue Jays retaliated with five runs in the seventh, cutting the deficit to 12-9. Shortly thereafter, they put together yet another surge as they put up seven runs in the top of the ninth to snag a 16-12 lead. The Wolves didn't go down without a fight as they rallied with a trio of runs in the bottom half, slicing it to a 16-15 count as Lobuono cleared the bases with a yet another double. But the hosts were unable to tally the equalizer as an infield grounder with nobody on base ended the game.

With the loss, WestConn dropped to 5-15 overall, while Saint Joseph improved to 18-8. The Wolves will seek to rebound when they host a doubleheader against visiting Rhode Island College in a Little East Conference matchup tomorrow. First pitch is slated for Noon.