Baseball Splits Doubleheader Friday in Florida
The Blue Devils opened the weekend with a win over South Dakota State.
The Central Connecticut baseball team split a doubleheader Friday in Delray Beach, FL. The Blue Devils downed South Dakota St., 6-4, in the opener of the Delray Invitational at Robert P. Miller Park. CCSU fell to Maine, 6-3, in the second game of the day.
CCSU is now 2-1 on the season. The Blue Devils are back in action with a 3:00 p.m. first pitch against South Dakota St. on Saturday.
GAME 1: CCSU 6, South Dakota St. 4
Freshman Buddy Dewaine drove in four runs and the Blue Devils erased an early two-run deficit to start the season 2-0.
The Jackrabbits took a two-run lead in the top of the second after Landon Badger hit a one-out single through the right side to drive in Newt Johson. Marcus Hahn followed with a sacrifice fly to bring home a run and make it 2-0.
The Blue Devils got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth with three runs. Senior Tyler Coleman was hit by a pitch and junior Dean Lockery reached on a bunt single with one out to put runners on first and second. A walk to junior Ryan Costello loaded the bases. With two outs, Dewaine doubled down the left field line to clear the bases and make it 3-2.
South Dakota St. got a run back in the top of the fifth after Anthony Schneider reached on a single and moved to second on a throwing error. He followed by stealing third and came around to score on another throwing error to make it 3-3.
The Jackrabbits took a momentary lead in the top of the sixth following a pitching change by CCSU. Matt Johnson led off the inning with a homerun to right center to make it 4-3.
Central would regain the lead with two runs in the bottom of the inning. The Blue Devils loaded the bases with no outs and Dewaine drove in his fourth run of the day on a sac fly to right field to make it 4-4. Junior Nick Garland followed with a sacrifice to score Costello and make it 5-4.
CCSU pushed across an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth. Sophomore Chandler Debrosse was hit by a pitch with one out and moved to third following a wild pitch and a fielder's choice. He came acoss to score with two outs after a passed ball to make it 6-4.
South Dakota St. threatened in the ninth with three singles to load the bases with one. Sophomore Jared Gallagher ended the threat with a strikeout and a fly out to get the save.
Lockery went 2-for-4 at the plate with two runs for CCSU, while junior Mitch Guilmette reached base three times and scored two runs. Garland had a hit and an RBI for the Blue Devils.
Sophomore Tom Curtin got the win for CCSU, throwing 1.2 innings in relief. He allowed one run on one hit. He walked one and had one strikeout. Gallagher collected his first save, going 2.1 innings. He did not allow a run on three hits and had three strikeouts.
South Dakota St. grinded out 12 hits. Johnson was one of four to collect two hits and had a run scored and one RBI.
Austin Kost took the loss, allowing five runs in 5.0 innings. He surrendered four hits with two walks and three strikeouts.
GAME 2: Maine 6, CCSU 3
Central dropped its second game of the day, 6-3, to Maine. The Black Bears built a six-run lead and were able to hold off the Blue Devils.
The Black Bears opened the scoring in the bottom of the second inning with two runs. Jonathan Bennett doubled home a run and later stole home to make it 2-0.
Maine added a pair of runs in the third inning. A throwing error plated the first run and a fielder's choice later in the inning brought home a run to make it 4-0.
Hernan Sardinas doubled home a run for the Black Bears in the fourth to and moved to third on a sacrifice before scoring on a error to help push the lead to 6-0.
Central was able to get on the scoreboard in the sixth inning. Lockery led off with a double and came around to score on the next batter after Costello doubled to make it 6-1.
The Blue Devils tried to rally in the eighth after scoring two runs. Freshman Terry Bowens walked to lead off and moved to second on a single by Dewaine. A passed ball and wild pitch moved the runners, with Bowens coming around to make it 6-2. A fielder's choice on the next batter would score Dewaine to make it 6-3, but Maine was able to get out of the inning without further damage.
Sophomore Mike Appel started and suffered the loss for the Blue Devils. He recorded two strikeouts.
Justin Courtney started and got the win for Maine. He recorded eight strikeouts in six innings of work.
Full stats to follow.