Baseball Earns Split Against FDU on Saturday

A strong outing from sophomore Brett Susi and a 13-run explosion from the offense in the second game helped the Central Connecticut baseball team earn a split against Fairleigh Dickinson in Saturday's doubleheader at CCSU Baseball Field. FDU earned the win in game one with timely hitting. 

The split moves Central to 11-18 on the year and 5-6 in the Northeast Conference. FDU is 10-16 overall and 4-7 in NEC play.

Game #1: CCSU 3, FDU 7

The Knights opened the day's scoring with a four-run third inning. After having the first two batters retired, FDU responded with five consecutive hits. Patrick McClure drove in the first run with a single and was followed by back-to-back doubles from Joel Roman and Ryan Brennan. Brennan's double brought home two runs to make it 4-0.

After FDU took advantage of a couple errors to get a run in the fourth, CCSU came back in the bottom of the inning. Senior Dominic Severino led off and reached first base after being hit by a pitch. Freshman Ryan Costello followed two batters later, driving a ball over the right field fence for his first career homerun to make it 5-2. Freshman Mike Arman followed with a double and advanced to third base, but FDU starter Joe Borelli got a couple of groundballs to get out of the inning.

After the Knights scored twice in the sixth, the Blue Devils threatened in the bottom of the inning. Arman reached on an error with one out and junior Ian Glassman followed with a sacrifice bunt, but a throwing error allowed him to reach base and moved Arman to third. With runners on first an third, junior Connor Fitzsimons doubled to right field, bringing home a run. A run-down left a runner at third and FDU starter Joe Borelli escaped without further damage.

Borelli went the distance to earn the win, and allowed two earned runs on eight hits with two strikeouts. Brennan drove in a pair of runs, while Dylan Sprague had two hits.

Severino started for CCSU and threw 5.1 innings, allowing six earned runs. He struck out two and walked one. At the plate, Severino had two hits, as did freshman Dean Lockery.

Game #2: CCSU 13, FDU 3

The Blue Devils wasted no time scoring in game two when they loaded the bases in the bottom of the first inning. Arman and classmate Mitch Guilmette each drew walks, bringing home a pair of runners to make it 2-0.

Central added to the lead in the third when junior Matt Martinez led off with a blast to center field for his first home run of the year. A string of three straight hits by Arman, Guilmette and Glassman helped produce two more runs, with the last being brought home on a sacrifice fly by Fitzsimons to make it 5-0.

That lead was more than enough for Susi, who cruised through the first 4.2 innings, allowing only one FDU runner past second base. The Knights managed to get a run with two outs in the fifth, when Shane Siebler doubled home Chris Grupp to make it 7-1.

The Blue Devils got the run back in the bottom of the fifth with a double by Fitzsimons to score Glassman. A single moved Fitzsimons to third and he scored on a sacrifice fly by Severino to make it 9-1

Central batted around in the sixth and got four runs on three hits. Glassman, sophomore Franklin Jennings, Lockery and freshman Nick Garland were all credited with runs batted in.

The Knights rounded out the scoring with a two-run double by pinch-hitter Jose DeLeon in the top of the seventh.

Susi improved to 3-0 on the year after going 6.0 innings and allowing one run on seven hits with two strikeouts. Arman finished 3-for-3 at the plate with three RBIs. Lockery added three hits of his own, while Glassman and Fitzsimons each drove in two runs.

Ryan McGrath started for FDU and lasted just 3.2 innings. He allowed seven runs on six hits, with seven walks and two strikeouts. Riley Moonan, Grupp and Siebler each had two hits.

The teams wrap up the series with a single nine-inning game on Sunday at 1 p.m.