Baseball Stopped in Doubleheader at Northeastern

The Central Connecticut baseball team dropped a doubleheader at Northeastern on Saturday, falling 8-4 in game one and 7-6 in game two. 

CCSU is 18-24 overall on the season, while Northeastern is now 22-19.

Game 1: CCSU 4, Northeastern 8

The Blue Devils scored four runs in the first inning, but the Huskies rallied with five runs in the bottom of the sixth to win, 8-4.

Central took a quick lead in the top of the first, scoring four runs. Sophomore Mitch Guilmette tripled to lead things off and scored on a single by sophomore Dean Lockery to make it 1-0. After junior Andrew Hinckley drew a walk, senior Connor Fitzsimons followed two batters later with a home run to left field to score three runs and make it 4-0.

Freshman Brandon Fox kept the Huskies off the board until the fifth inning. Cam Walsh led off with a single and moved to third on a base hit by Nick Fanneron. Back-to-back singles by Max Burt and Mason Koppens cut the CCSU lead to 4-2 before a sac fly by Charlie McConnell drove in a run to close out the scoring in the inning and make it 4-3.

NU came back in the bottom of the sixth to score five runs and take the lead. The Huskies loaded the bases and with one out, Fanneron singled in a run to tie the game 4-4. A sacrifice fly by Burt made it 5-4 with two outs. After a walk loaded the bases, Nolan Lang doubled to clear the bases and make it 8-4. 

Fox started and went 4.1 innings, allowing three runs on three hits. He walked two and struck out three. Hinckley came on in relief and was charged with five runs. 

Dustin Hunt threw 6.0 innings for Northeastern and was charged with four runs on four hits. He walked three and struck out nine, while earning the win.

Fanneron finished with two hits, with an RBI and two runs scored for the Huskies.

Four Blue Devils each had a hit in the game, while Fitzsimons drove in three runs.

Game 2: CCSU 6, Northeastern 7

Central rallied from a five-run deficit to tie the game in the seventh inning before the Huskies scored a run in the bottom of the eighth to pull out a win in the series finale.

The Blue Devils opened the scoring in the second inning after loading the bases with two outs. Fitzsimons was hit by a pitch and sophomore Nick Garland singled to put runners on first and second. Following a fly out, senior Matt Martinez walked to load the bases for sophomore John Lippincott who drew a walk to bring in a run and give CCSU a 1-0 lead.

The Huskies bounced back in the bottom of the inning with four runs. An error allowed the first run to score and a two-out single by David Hopkins scored two more runs to make it 3-1. Charlie McConnell singled in another run to make it 4-1.

NU scored two more runs in the fourth inning, both coming with two outs. McConnell singled up the middle to bring in the first run and make it 5-1. After another single put runners on first and second, McConnell attempted to steal third base and an error resulted in him coming home to make it 6-1.

Central started to claw back in the fifth inning after scoring two runs. CCSU loaded the bases with two outs and senior Corey Lerche punched a single through the left side to score Martinez and freshman David Balunek to make it 6-3.

Garland led off the sixth with a home run to make it 6-4. The Blue Devils would use the long ball again in the seventh to tie the game up. Balunek reached on a fielder's choice and was followed by Hinckley who hit a two-run home run to left field to make it 6-6.

The Huskies would break the tie with the winning run in the bottom of the eighth. Josh Treff tripled to left center with one out and came home on a sacrifice fly by McConnell to make it 7-6. 

Lerche and Garland each collected two hits in the second game. Lerche drove in two runs along with Hinckley, while Balunek scored two runs.

Junior Brett Susi threw a complete game for Central. He struck out five and walked one, while allowing seven runs, but just three earned, on seven hits.

McConnell and Treff each had two hits for the Huskies. McConnell finished with three runs batted in.

James Mulry started and went 5.0 innings for NU. He allowed three runs on three hits, while walking four with six strikeouts. Andrew Misiaszek threw 1.2 shutout innings for the win, while Mike Fitzgerald got his seventh save after throwing a perfect ninth inning.

Game two box score to follow.

The Blue Devils return to action on Tuesday, May 3, with a 3:00 p.m. contest at Quinnipiac.