Wells Delivers RBI Triple in 17th Inning as Baseball Tops Yale 2-1

Junior Mitch Wells delivered an RBI triple in the bottom of the 17th inning as the Central Connecticut baseball team topped Yale 2-1 on Tuesday afternoon in New Britain. The game featured 108 total at-bats between the two teams, and lasted just under four hours. The win moves the Blue Devils to 2-5-1 on the season. Yale is now 3-6.

Wells finished the day 3-for-6 with a pair of walks and his walk-off RBI in the 17th. He has now driven in a run in five straight games for the Blue Devils.

The Bulldogs scored the first run of the game in the top of the sixth inning to lead 1-0. Ryan Brenner tripled to deep right center field and then scored on an RBI bunt attempt from Matt Schmidt to plate the game's first run.

The Blue Devils tied it up in the bottom of the ninth inning to send the game to extra innings. With the bases loaded pinch hitter Normand Gosselin walked to plate the run and send the game to extra frames. Central left the bases loaded to end the inning.

The Blue Devils also left the bases loaded in the 10th and 13th innings. In the 13th they had the bases loaded with one out but failed to score a run. They left a total of 17 runners on base in the game. Yale left just eight.

Yale scored what appeared to be the go-ahead run in the top of the 15th, but the runner was called out for failing to touch third base on a deep double to left field. The Blue Devils appealed the play at third and the runner was called out.

In the bottom of the 17th, senior Pat Epps led off the inning and reached on an error by the shortstop. He scored as Wells tripled down the left field line.

Yale used just three pitchers in the game. Starter Vinny Lally went 8.1 innings allowing just one run while striking out 10. Reliever Eric Shultz, who walked in the tying run in the ninth, pitched 7.2 innings allowing just four hits and striking out four. Cale Hanson, who was the starting center fielder, pitched the 17th and allowed the two hits.

Central freshman righthander Tom Coughlin pitched the first four innings for the Blue Devils and allowed just one hit in his first career appearance. He struck out one and did not walk a batter. Freshman Nick Boyd pitched 4.0 innings of scoreless relief and Todd Savatsky picked up his second win of the season, pitching the final 6.0 innings allowing just three hits and striking out three.

Wells had his three hits and RBI to lead CCSU. Senior Sean Miller-Jones also had three hits.

Central finished the game with two runs on 10 hits while making a pair of errors. Yale had one run on nine hits and one error in the 17th inning.

The two teams will meet again on Wednesday at 3 p.m. in New Britain.