Blandino, Blue Devils Top VMI in Game One

The Central Connecticut baseball team played its first game away from home on Friday, travelling to Virginia Military Institute for the first in a three-game weekend series.  Central topped VMI 3-1 behind a complete-game from sophomore Matt Blandino.  Central is now 2-4 overall on the year with the victory.

Central got on the board first with a pair of runs in the top of the first inning.  Sophomore Frankling Jennings led off the game with a single and then stole second with one out in the inning.  He went to third on an error and then scored on a single from junior Ian Glassman.  Glassman went to third on double from senior Dominic Severino and then scored on an RBI single from freshman Ryan Costello to make it 2-0.

The Keydets cut the lead in half with one run in the bottom of the second inning off of Blandino, making it 2-1.  The run would be the only one allowed by Blandino on the afternoon.  He is now 1-1 on the season.

Blandino began to cruise after allowing the run in the second inning and retired the next eight batters before VMI would get another base runner.  He stranded one runner in the fifth and got a double play in the sixth inning to keep the 2-1 lead.

The junior righthander stranded a man on third base in the seventh inning after a failed pickoff attempt put a runner on third.  Following a walk Blandino forced a ground out to the second baseman to end the threat and keep the Central lead 2-1.

The Blue Devils added a run in the top half of the ninth inning to push their lead to 3-1.  Senior Bryant Rivera singled to lead off the inning and went to second on a sacrifice.  Following a walk to Glassman, Severino doubled to score Rivera and give the Blue Devils the two-run lead.

Blandino pitched the complete game for his first win of the season, striking out seven VMI batters while allowing six hits and just one walk.  He faced 34 batters in the win.

Glassman and Severino each had a pair of hits for the Blue Devils while each adding an RBI.  Central had 11 hits in the victory.  Junior Connor Fitzsimons and freshman Dean Lockery each added two hits.

The two teams will meet again on Saturday with first pitch scheduled for 6 p.m., followed by one final game on Sunday at 1 p.m.