Senior Casey Walko's Five RBI Leads Blue Devils to Comeback Win Over Rhode Island

Senior outfielder Casey Walko drove in five runs as the Central Connecticut baseball team came back from a 5-0 deficit to top Rhode Island 10-9 on Tuesday night in New Britain. Walko was also at the plate in the bottom of the ninth when the winning run scored on a wild pitch. With the win the Blue Devils are 9-6 on the season. Rhode Island falls to 14-9 overall.

Rhode Island took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning with an unearned run off of freshman starter Pat Robinson. Dan Rhault drove in a run with a single to left field with one out in the inning. Rhode Island scored a second unearned run in the top of the third inning. A fielding error by sophomore Pat Epps led to the run. Robinson retired the final two batters of the inning with runners on second and third, and the Rams led 2-0.

The Rams scored their third unearned run of the game and took a 3-0 lead in the fourth. Junior reliever Tyler Riordan entered the game on the mound for the Blue Devils. With one out and men on first and second, a failed pick off attempt went into center field and both runners advanced. An RBI groundout gave the Rams the 3-0 edge.

The Rams scored two more in the fifth on a two-run home run by Tom Coulombe off of Riordan. Freshman Jack Greenhouse, making his first appearance this year for CCSU, retired the final two batters of the inning.

In the bottom of the inning the Blue Devils ot on the board for the first time. Junior Kyle Zarotney and senior Sean Parker each singled to put runners on first and second with no one out. With men on first and third and one out, junior Sean Allaire's sacrifice fly to center made it 5-1. Walko hit a two-run home run to left field with two outs to cut the Ram lead to 5-3.

With two outs in the sixth inning the Blue Devils put together four straight singles to tie the game at 5-5. Allaire's second RBI of the game, this time on a single, cut the lead to one and scored Parker. Walko's RBI single to center field, his third RBI of the game, tied the game.

Rhode Island answered with four runs in the top of the seventh to retake the lead, 9-5. Three of the runs were charged to Greenhouse. A two-run double by Zoey Angulo led the Rams in the inning. The final run in the inning was charged to senior Ken Kerski, who came in in relief.

In the bottom of the eighth inning freshman Mitch Wells walked and Allaire doubled to deep right center field to put runners on second and third with no outs. Walko tripled deep down the right field line to cut the lead to 9-7. A sacrifice fly by junior Tommy Meade cut it to one, 9-8.

The Blue Devils plated two more runs, both unearned, in the bottom of the ninth inning to earn the victory. Allaire douled to deep right center to score the first run and he scored from third on a wild pitch for the winning run.

Walko led the offense with five RBI and was a double short of the cycle. Allaire finished the game 3-for-3 with three RBI and two runs scored. Wells was 2-for-4 and scored three times for the Blue Devils.

CCSU returns to action on Friday at Wagner as they begin play in the Northeast Conference.