Baseball Wins Opener at LIU Brooklyn, 6-3

The Central Connecticut baseball team opened an important four-game Northeast Conference series with a 6-3 win over LIU Brooklyn at LIU Field on Friday afternoon. The Blue Devils used a four-run fourth inning and a complete-game outing by sophomore Brett Susi to open the weekend with a win.

The victory improved CCSU to 13-27 overall and 6-11 in NEC play. LIU falls to 15-30 and 8-13 in league play.

Central's lineup was held without a hit by Brian Drapeau through the first three innings, but the Blue Devils broke the game open in the top of the fourth. Senior Dominic Severino was hit by a pitch and took first base with one out. Following a strikeout, freshman Mike Arman moved Severino to second base with an infield single. An error on a ball put in play by junior Ian Glassman allowed Severino to score the game's first run.

With runners on first and second junior Matt Martinez singled up the middle to make it 2-0. Sophomore Franklin Jennings followed with a single to right field to drive in Glassman and Martinez to make it 4-0. 

Susi turned in a strong outing for the Blue Devils on the mound. LIU's leadoff batter drew a walk in the first inning and got to third base, but Susi got out of the inning with a fly ball and did not allow another Blackbird to reach second base over the first five innings.

The Blackbirds strung together consecutive singles by Charles Misiano and Brian Lamboy in the sixth to get runners to first and second base with one out. After a double-steal, a ground out by Dom Paiotti scored Misiano to make it 4-1 and a wild pitch plated Lamboy before Susi ended the inning with a strikeout.

Jennings led off with a single in the seventh to help CCSU get the runs back. Sophomore Tom Lanzoni followed with a single through the right side that scooted past the right fielder and allowed Jennings to score and make it 5-2. A single by freshman Dean Lockery drove in Lanzoni to make it 6-2.

LIU pushed across a run in the seventh with three straight singles. Mark Hernandez started things with a one-out hit and moved to third on a single by Vincent Tranchina. Andrew Turner's hit to left field brought home a run to make it 6-3 before Susi retired the final two batters to get out of the inning.

Susi got through the final two innings smoothly to finish out the complete game. He allowed three runs on eight hits with two strikeouts and a walk to improve to 4-1 on the year. Jennings led the Blue Devils' offense with two hits and two RBI, while Martinez, Lanzoni and Lockery each had a hit and RBI.

Drapeau took the loss for LIU and surrendered six runs in 6.0 innings on five hits. He recorded six strikeouts with two walks. Tranchina led the Blackbirds with two hits. 

The four-game game series continues with a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 1 p.m. at LIU Field.