Baseball Season Ends With Extra-Inning Loss to Top Seed Wagner on Friday

Central Connecticut hit four home runs but watched a 5-2 lead turn into a 6-5 extra-inning loss in an elimination game in the 2009 Northeast Conference Baseball Tournament. Senior catcher Sean Parker hit a pair of home runs in the game for the Blue Devils and drove in three runs. CCSU ends its 2009 campaign with a 26-22 overall record.

Neither team had a runner reach base until junior Tommy Meade led off the bottom of the third inning with a single to left field. Senior catcher Sean Parker drilled a long two-run home run to center field to give the Blue Devils the 2-0 lead. After retiring the first six Central Connecticut batters, Wagner starter Kyle Morrison allowed four hits in the inning.

Junior starter Dan Markoya, who pitched a quality outing against Monmouth on Sunday of last week, retired the first 12 Wagner batters he faced. Just 0-4 entering the game last week, Markoya pitched 7.1 innings allowing only two runs as CCSU clinched a spot in the NEC Tournament with its third straight win over Monmouth.

The lead reached 3-0 when junior center fielder Richie Tri homered off the right field lights with one out in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Wagner broke up Markoya's gem with a leadoff home run in the fifth inning by Seth Boyd. He was perfect through the first four innings, including four strikeouts. The Seahawks put runners on the corners with one out and a single to left by Brian Martutartus made it 3-2. With the bases loaded and two outs Jared Gruccio struck out looking against Markoya to end the threat. It was Markoya's fifth strikeout of the game.

The Blue Devils took a 5-2 lead with back-to-back home runs by Parker and freshman Mitch Wells in the bottom of the fifth inning. The Seahawks answered with three runs in the top of the sixth to tie the game at 5-5.

Vin Avella led off the top of the 10th inning with a solo home run to center field to give the Seahawks the 6-5 lead.

Parker (2), Wells and Tri all homered for the Blue Devils in the loss. Parker and Wells led the offense with three hits apiece. Markoya pitched seven innings allowing nine hits and five runs, only four of which were earned, but he did not factor in the decision.

With the loss the Blue Devils end their season with a 26-22 overall record, after advancing to the NEC Tournament for the ninth time in 11 seasons.