Baseball Drops Opener at Bryant

The Central Connecticut baseball team saw its seven-game Northeast Conference winning streak come to an end on Thursday afternoon at Bryant, falling 10-2 in the first game of a weekend series in Smithfield, RI.

With the loss the Blue Devils are now 15-11 overall and 9-4 in NEC play, losing a league game since the first game of a series vs. LIU Brooklyn two weeks ago.  Bryant improves to 14-13 overall and 7-2 in the NEC.

The series continues on Friday with a doubleheader beginning at 1:30 p.m. in Smithfield.

Central got on the board early scoring a pair of runs in the top of the first inning.  Senior Jake Matuszak singled to lead off the inning and went to second on a single by sophomore Dylan DelaCruz.  Junior Tyler McIntyre, the reigning NEC Player of the Week, singled home Matuszak with the first run of the game.  A single by sophomore Anthony Turgeon loaded the bases and a fielder's choice and RBI from junior Mike Washburn plated DelaCruz to make it 2-0.

Bryant got a run back in the bottom of the first inning without a hit.  The leadoff man walked and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly.

Central had a chance to add to its lead in the second, loading the bases with only one out.  They were unable to bring a run home and the lead remained one.

The Bulldogs tied it at 2-2 with a run in the bottom of the fourth inning.  An RBI single in the fifth gave Bryant their first lead, 3-2.

The lead reached 10-2 for the home team with a seven-run eighth inning. 

The loss snaps a seven-game NEC winning streak for the Blue Devils.  Central senior starter Harry Glynne picked up the loss for the Blue Devils, falling to 1-2 on the season.  He pitched 7.2 innings, allowing five hits and striking out two.  He walked six Bryant batters and allowed seven runs, but just three of them were earned.

The Blue Devils and Bulldogs will play a doubleheader on Friday beginning at 1:30 p.m. in Smithfield, RI.  The weekend series will end with a single nine-inning game on Saturday at 1 p.m.