Baseball Grabs Series Finale at Monmouth

The Central Connecticut baseball team topped Monmouth 8-4 on Saturday to grab the series finale against the Hawks.  With the victory the Blue Devils are now 10-10 overall and 5-3 in Northeast Conference play. 

The Blue Devils struck first with a pair of runs in the top of the second inning.  Sophomore Dominic Severino walked to lead off the inning and went to second on a sacrifice and an error.  A second sacrifice put runners on second and third with one out.  Freshman Connor Fitzsimons singled to score the first run, and a sacrifice fly from junior Dylan DelaCruz scored the second to give the Blue Devils the 2-0 lead.

Monmouth cut the lead in half with a run in the third, but the Blue Devils opened up an 8-1 lead with a six-run fourth inning.  Junior Anthony Turgeon walked and went to second on a single from classmate Josh Ingham.  With one out, DelaCruz singled home his second run of the game, followed by an RBI single from senior Nick Palmisano.  Junior J.P. Sportman singled in the third run and senior Tyler McIntyre's one-out double scored two more.  Turgeon drove in the final run of the inning for the 8-1 lead.

The Hawks scored three in the bottom of the sixth inning to cut the lead to 8-4.   Just two of the runs were earned, a fielding error led to the third run of the inning.

Senior lefty Jack Greenhouse earned the victory on the mound for the Blue Devils, improving to 4-1 on the season.  He has won three straight decisions.  He pitched all nine innings, allowing four runs, just two earned, while giving up eight hits and striking out five Monmouth hitters.

McIntyre and DelaCruz each drove in a pair of runs in the win.  Sportman had three hits.  Eight different Central players scored a run.  The Blue Devils had 11 hits.

The Blue Devils return to action on Wednesday afternoon at Rhode Island.