Baseball Opens Season With 3-0 Win Over St. Bonaventure
Susi and Hinckley combine for the shutout.
The Central Connecticut baseball team opened the 2016 season with a 3-0 win over St. Bonaventure on Friday in Port Charlotte, FL. Junior Brett Susi threw seven innings of two-hit ball and junior Andrew Hinckley picked up the save to complete the shutout for the Blue Devils.
Central is now 1-0 on the season, while the loss drops St. Bonaventure to 3-2.
The game was scoreless through seven innings until the Blue Devils pushed a run across in the top of the eighth. Central strung together consecutive singles by senior Connor Fitzsimons and junior Franklin Jennings to lead off and a sacrifice bunt junior Nick Landell moved them to second and third. Fitzsimons came home on a wild pitch to give CCSU a 1-0 lead.
The Blue Devils added a pair of insurance runs in the top of the ninth. A leadoff single by sophomore Ryan Costello was followed by a double by senior Corey Lerche. A pinch-hit single by sophomore Dylan Maher drove in Costello to make it 2-0. A safety squeeze by Fitzsimons plated Lerche and put Central up 3-0.
The lead was more than enough as Hinckley came in to close out the Bonnies in the bottom of the inning and finish off a strong effort by the Blue Devils' pitchers.
Susi went 7.0 innings and allowed just two hits, while striking out six to pick up the win. Hinckley struck out five in 2.0 innings of work.
Central collected eight hits, led by Jennings' two-hit day.
Connor Grey went 7.2 innings for the Bonnies and allowed one run on five hits. He struck out seven, while walking one and took the loss.
The teams return to action on Saturday with a game at 12:00 p.m. in Port Charlotte, FL, at North Charlotte Regional Park.
