The Stetson Hatters bounced back from their struggles on Friday to blank Hartford 9-0 in the second game of their weekend series at Melching Field.
 
The Hatters improved to 5-1 on the year with the win while Hartford fell to 1-1. The teams will play the final game of their weekend series on Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m.
 
The Hatters got another dominant performance on the mound from redshirt junior Robbie Peto (2-0), who worked into the seventh inning, allowing just one hit for a second consecutive outing. He struck out nine and walked four while throwing 108 pitches.
 
Stetson gave Peto plenty of run support, scoring in four of the first five innings. The Hatters plated single runs in the first two frames off Hartford starter Nathan Florence (0-1) before chasing him in the fourth with a four-run frame. Stetson added three more insurance runs in the fifth inning off reliever Jason Johndrow.
 
Senior Andrew MacNeil got the scoring started, getting hit by a pitch to open the game. He moved up on a pair of ground out and then scored on a wild pitch. Redshirt freshman Brandon Hylton opened the second inning with the first of his three hits and then came in to score on a two-out double by senior Jorge Arenas.
 
The Hatters added four runs in the fourth inning despite getting just one hit. Hylton walked to start the inning before Nick DiPonzio singled off the foot of Florence, with the ball ricocheting through the right side of the infield. Cade Shissler followed with a perfect squeeze bunt to score Hylton, and reached when the throw to first was dropped.
 
Arenas drew a walk to load the bases with no one out and end the night for Florence. Junior Jack Rose came on from the pen and got both MacNeil and Kyle Ball out on fly balls, both of which scored runs. Arenas then let his legs take over, moving to second on a wild pitch, stealing third and then scoring on a passed ball.
 
Stetson closed out the scoring in the fifth. Hylton got things going with a one-out double while was followed by consecutive RBI triples from DiPonzio and Shissler. MacNeil singled in the final run of the night.
 
Freshman Kyle Yeoward and sophomore Bret Neilan closed out the game on the mound for Stetson. Yeoward got a double-play ground ball to end the seventh and then struck out the side on 10 pitches in the eighth. Neilan, who made his season debut, struck out the side in the ninth to give the trio of Stetson pitchers 15 Ks in the game.
 
With his three hits, Hylton improved his season batting average to .524. He has hit safely in all six games. DiPonzio also had two hits for Stetson.
 
The Hatters will try to take the series on Sunday when freshman Nick Durgin (1-0) makes his second start. The Hawks are expected to counter with a freshman of their own, right-hander Ken Turner.
 
About Stetson University Athletics: Stetson University's Athletics Program has a vision of developing a culture of champions athletically, academically and within the community. This vision is accomplished through a mission of recruiting and developing student-athletes, coaches and staff, creating a culture of champions, within and outside of competition. The department operates with five core values: Championship Culture, Integrity, Excellence, Pride/Tradition and Leadership. To learn more about the Vision, Mission and Core Values for Stetson Athletics, visit GoHatters.com and click on Mission Statement under the Inside Athletics tab.