Baseball Rallies, But Falls Late at Penn State, 5-2

The Central Connecticut baseball team dropped the opening game of a three-game series at Penn State, 5-2, on Friday night at Medlar Field. The Blue Devils rallied to tie the contest in the top of the eighth inning, before the Nittany Lions responded with three runs in the bottom of the inning to claim the win.

Penn State built a 2-0 lead scoring a run in both the fifth and sixth innings. The Nittany Lions opened the scoring in the bottom of the fifth when Ryky Smith singled and came around to score after Alex Malinsky put the ball in play and a throwing error allowed Smith to advance home. Malinsky advanced to third base, but Central escaped without allowing any more runs.

The Nittany Lions added to the lead with a run in the sixth. Aaron Novak led off with a single and moved to third base after a wild pitch and sacrifice bunt. He came into score following a wild pitch, but back-to-back fly outs to center field kept the score at 2-0.

The Blue Devils (6-8) rallied to tie the game with runs in the seventh and eighth innings. Freshman Ryan Costello led off the top of the seventh for Central with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. A single by junior Connor Fitzsimons brought Costello around and make it 2-1.

Junior Ian Glassman led off the eighth with a single before freshman Alex Koshgarian came in as a pinch runner. Following a sacrifice bunt by senior Dominic Severino, CCSU put runners on the corners after a single by junior Corey Lerche. A ground out by freshman Dean Lockery scored Koshgarian to tie the game at 2-2 before PSU ended the inning.

The Nittany Lions responded in the bottom of the inning with a leadoff double by Aaron Novak. A walk by Jim Haley came between two fly outs, to leave runners at first and second with two outs. Ryan Richter singled to load the bases and a double by Smith cleared the bases to make it 5-2 and provide the difference in the contest.

The Blue Devils threatened to open the scoring in the top of the fourth when Lerche singled to right field with two outs. A single by Lockery, followed by a walk by junior Matt Martinez loaded the bases. A fly out allowed PSU starter Nick Hedge to escape the inning unscathed, however.

Sophomore Matt Blandino started for Central and threw 7.2 innings. He allowed four earned runs on nine hits, while striking out a pair and walking one. Lerche went 3-for-4 at the plate for the Blue Devils. 

Hedge started and threw 5.2 innings for Penn State and struck out eight. Jack Anderson threw a scoreless inning of relief to earn the win. Novak finished 4-for-4 at the plate for PSU, which improved to 6-14 with the win.

The two squads resume the three-game series on Saturday, with first pitch slated for 1:00 p.m.