Baseball Splits Doubleheader at Bryant on Saturday

Junior Andrew Hinckley threw his sixth complete-game of the season and classmate Franklin Jennings collected four hits in an 8-4 win for the Blue Devils in the first game of Saturday's twinbill.

The Bulldogs took an early lead on a Robby Rinn RBI-double in the bottom of the first to make it 1-0.

The Blue Devils quickly leveled the score in the top of the third when Jennings led off the inning with a solo homerun to right centerfield to make it 1-1. The Blue Devils would load the bases with one out, but the Bulldogs managed to avoid further damage.

Bryant regained the lead in the bottom of the fourth after a two-out single brought up Dan Cellucci who hit a two-run homerun to make it 3-1.

The Blue Devils would answer in the top of the fourth with three runs to take their first lead of the day. Sophomore Dean Lockery led off with a single and moved to second on a one-out single by sophomore Mitch Guilmette. Senior Connor Fitzsimons followed with a double to right centerfield to bring home two runs and tie the game at 3-3. With two outs, junior Nick Landell connected for a single up the middle to bring home Fitzsimons and make it 4-3.

CCSU extended the lead with a three-run outburst in the top of the sixth inning. Sophomore Nick Garland singled to lead off and and error would get Lockery on base before a sacrifice moved the runners into scoring position. Guilmette delivered a single to right center to drive in Garland and make it 5-3. Guilmette would steal second base and sophomore John Lippincott was hit by a pitch to load the bases with two outs. Senior Matt Martinez would take advantage with a single up the middle to bring home two runs and make it 7-3.

Bryant would get a run back in the bottom of the inning to make it 7-4 before the Blue Devils tacked on an insurance run in the seventh. Jennings hit a lead off double and moved to third on a sacrifice before coming home on a wild pitch to make it 8-4.

The lead was more than enough for Hinckley who nullified an error in the bottom of the seventh by getting a game-ending double-play to sew up his seventh win of the year. He allowed four runs on 10 hits, while striking out four and walking none to improve to 7-3.

Jennings finished 4-for-5 at the plate with an RBI and two runs scored. Guilmette added two hits, two runs and an RBI, while Fitzsimons and Martinez each had two runs batted in. The Blue Devils cranked out 12 hits as a team.

Brandon Bingel took the loss for Bryant, falling to 7-3 on the year. He allowed four runs on seven hits in 4.1 innings. He struck out six, but walked four. The Bulldogs' bullpen allowed four runs in 2.2 innings of work.

Game 2: CCSU 2, Bryant 9

The scoring opened with both teams scoring two runs in the fourth inning. Central got on the board first in the top of the fourth. Lockery led off with a single down the right field line and moved over on a wild pitch. Hinckley followed with a single and moved all the way to third base on an error that allowed Lockery to score and make it 1-0. Senior Corey Lerche hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield to bring home Hinckley and make it 2-0.

Bryant came back in the bottom of the fourth with two runs to tie the game. AJ Zarozny hit a two-out double down the left field line to score two runs and make it 2-2.

The Bulldogs scored six runs in the bottom of the fifth. Matt Albanese highlighted the inning with a two-run homerun as Bryant had its first six batters of the inning reach safely and took an 8-2 lead after the inning.

Bingel doubled home a run in the bottom of the sixth to close out the scoring and make it 9-2.

Senior Casey Brown took the loss for CCSU. He allowed eight runs, seven earned, on nine hits in 4.1 innings. 

Martinez and Hinckley each had two hits for Central. 

Steve Theetge threw a complete game for Bryant, allowing two runs, one earned, on six hits. He struck out four and walked one.

The teams will wrap up the series with a single nine inning game on Sunday at 1:00 p.m.