Homers Lift Baseball by Hartford, 6-4, in Home Opener
Blue Devils get homeruns from Bowens and Costello in the win.
Central Connecticut got a grand slam homerun from freshman Terry Bowens and a solo shot from junior Ryan Costello on its way to a 6-4 win over Hartford in the team's home-opener at CCSU Baseball Field on Wednesday. Three Blue Devils collected multiple hits as they churned out nine hits as a team.
The win improves the Blue Devils to 5-5 overall, while the Hawks slip to 1-6 on the year.
Central opened the scoring in the bottom of the first senior Tyler Coleman hit a one-out single and moved to second after junior Dean Lockery walked. After a fly out, freshman Buddy Dewaine singled through the middle to bring home Coleman to make it 1-0.
The Hawks would take the lead momentarily with a three-run third inning. Back-to-back singles were followed by a double from Ashton Bardzell that brought home a run to make it 2-1. David MacKinnon hit a sacrifice fly to tie the game and a double by Erik Ostberg with two outs would score Bardzell to make it 3-1.
The Blue Devils would load the bases with no outs in the bottom of the third. Following a pitching change, Hartford would get consecutive strikeouts. Bowens would come up with two outs and the bases loaded and deposit a bases-clearing homerun to left center and give CCSU a 5-3 lead.
Hartford got a run back in the sixth. Ostberg led off with a single and Ben Bengston followed with a base hit to put runners on first and second. The Blue Devils would get a double-play, but before they could get out of the inning TJ Ward singled to right to score Ostberg and make it 5-4.
Central pushed the lead back to two runs in the seventh when Costello hit a one-out homerun to right-centerfield to make it 6-4.
The Hawks would load the bases in the top of the eighth with two outs, but sophomore Jared Gallagher came in to get an out and end the threat. He recorded a strikeout and then got a double-play to end the game and pick up his second save of the year.
Freshman Mike Delease started for Central and went 2.2 innings. Sophomore Patrick Mitchell picked up the win, going 3.1 innings in relief and allowing one run on four hits with a strikeout.
Coleman finished with two hits and two runs scored at the plate for Central. Dewaine added two hits as well, while Landell would crack three doubles on the day.
Connor Lewis started for Hartford and allowed one run on three hits in 2.0 innings of work. Jason Johndrow was tagged with the loss after not recording an out and being charged with three runs.
Bardzell led the Hawks with three hits, a run and an RBI at the plate.
The Blue Devils travel to Navy this weekend, beginning with a 2:00 p.m. contest on Friday.
