Baseball Falls to UConn in the Ninth, 7-5
The Blue Devils face Sacred Heart in conference play on Friday.
The University of Connecticut scored two runs in the top of the ninth to break a tie game and down Central Connecticut, 7-5, at CCSU Baseball Field on Tuesday afternoon. Junior Ryan Costello hit a three-run homerun in the eighth to tie the game for the Blue Devils.
The loss snapped a three-game win streak for Central, which slips to 9-8 on the year, while UConn is now 10-8.
UConn opened the scoring in the third inning. Following back-to-back singles, Anthony Prato doubled to left field to bring in a pair of runs. The Hu that skies got runners to second and third with no outs, but the Blue Devils got a line-out double-play that was nearly a triple play, but Prato just beat the tag at home to make it 3-0.
Central loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the sixth. Junior Dean Lockery would deliver a single through the right side to drive in junior Nick Garland and freshman Chris Kanios to cut the deficit to 3-2. UConn would get a strikeout and pickoff a runner to end the inning and avoid further damage in the inning.
The Huskies got the runs back in the top of the seventh on a sacrifice fly from Willy Yahn and a double from Zac Susi to push the lead back to 5-2.
Sophomore Chandler Debrosse led off the eighth for CCSU by going to first on a hit by pitch. He would move to second after Lockery drew a two-out walk to keep the inning going. Costello would then tie the game with a blast to right-centerfield to send it to the ninth at 5-5.
The Huskies benefited from an error to lead off the inning and would then load the bases with two outs following an infield single and intentional walk. Isaac Feldstein would drive in two runs with a single to break the tie and provide the difference in the game.
CCSU churned out 11 hits on the day, led by Garland's 3-for-5 day and two hits from freshman Buddy Dewaine. Costello drove in three and Lockery knocked in a pair of runs, but the Blue Devils were hampered by 13 runners left on base.
Sophomore Patrick Mitchell started and went 2.0 innings, allowing just one hit with one strikeout in a day that CCSU made use of its entire staff throwing eight pitchers. Junior Stanley Wolpiuk took the loss after allowing two unearned runs in the ninth.
Prato and Feldstein each had two hits and two RBIs for the Huskies. UConn finished with 10 hits as a team.
P.J. Poulin started for UConn and was one of eight pitchers used by the Huskies. He did not allow a run in 2.2 innings of work on four hits with two walks and a strikeout. Ronnie Rossomando got the win for the Huskies despite giving up the game-tying homerun in his inning of work. John Russell picked up his sixth save to close out the game.
The Blue Devils are back in action on Friday to open a three-game Northeast Conference series against Sacred Heart. Due to their field being unplayable the Pioneers will be the home team for the weekend series but the games will be played in New Britain at CCSU Baseball Field.