Baseball Drops Midweek Tilt at Rhode Island

The Central Connecticut baseball team lost to Rhode Island, 5-1, on Tuesday at Bill Beck Field. The Rams used a four-run fourth inning to down the Blue Devils in non-conference action.

The loss drops Central to 7-13 overall and URI improves to 9-11 overall.

The teams combined for just three hits through the first three and a half innings before Rhode Island broke through in the fourth. Derek Gardella opened the inning with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. He came around to score after Martin Figueroa singled to third, but an error on the play allowed the runners to advance. Figueroa got thrown out at third on the play, but Gardella scored to make it 1-0. The Rams kept the inning going with four straight hits, including RBI singles by Ryan Olmo and Mike Foley, sandwiched around a triple by Mike Cronin. URI led 4-0 after Foley's single.

Central got a run back in the seventh after senior Connor Fitzsimons laced a two-out double down the third base line. Sophomore Mitch Guilmette followed with a double to drive in Fitzsimons and make it 4-1.

URI added a run in the eighth after Olmo doubled down the rightfield line. He came around to score on a triple by Foley to make it 5-1.

Fitzsimons led CCSU with a 2-for-4 effort at the plate. Guilmette and junior Tyler Coleman each added a double.

Freshman Jared Gallagher started for CCSU and lasted 3.2 innings. He struck out three and walked none, but allowed four runs on six hits.

URI had four hitters each collect two hits, including Olmo who scored two runs and drove in another. Foley had two hits and drove in two runs.

Blaise Whitman got the win for Rams on the mound. He started and went 5.0 innings, allowing just one hit with six strikeouts and one walk. Connor Foreman threw 2.0 scoreless innings to get the save.

The Blue Devils open a four-game Northeast Conference series at Wagner on Friday, April 1.