Baseball Takes Second Game to Split Doubleheader at Wagner Friday

Central Connecticut split a doubleheader to open a four-game Northeast Conference baseball series at Wagner on Friday in Staten Island, NY. The Seahawks led throughout to take the opener, and snapped a four-game CCSU win streak. The Blue Devils rebounded in the second game, using a pair of five-run innings en route to the win.

The Blue Devils are now 27-19 overall and 16-6 in the NEC, while Wagner is 17-24 overall and 9-10 in league play.

GAME 1: Wagner 5, CCSU 2

A complete-game from Wagner starter Austin Goeke stymied the CCSU offense in the series opener. The Seahawks took the front end of a doubleheader, 5-2, to open the four-game series.

The Seahawks jumped out to a three-run lead in the bottom of the first. The first four batters hit safely with Phil Capra doubling in a run and Anthony Godino singling home two more to put Wagner in front, 3-0. 

Central got a run back in the second. Freshman Buddy Dewaine drew a two-out walk and stole second, before advancing to third on an error. Senior Franklin Jennings drove him in with a single to make it 3-1.

Senior Tyler Coleman drew a walk to lead off the CCSU fourth inning. He moved to third following a pair of groundouts and then came acrosse the plate on junior Mitch Guilmette's single to right to make it 3-2. 

Wagner tacked on a pair of unearned runs to increase the lead. In the fourth, Joe Silvestrone reached on a fielder's choice and moved to third after a single and an error. Nick D'Amore drove Silvestrone in on another fielder's choice to make it 4-2.

In the sixth, Silvestrone singled to lead off and moved to second on a sacrifice. After a walk, he moved to second and would come around to score following a throwing error to make it 5-2.

Senior Brendan Smith started for CCSU and tossed 6.0 innings. He was charged with three earned runs on 10 hits, while striking out five and walking two. 

Coleman and Dewaine each reached base twice for CCSU, collecting a hit and a walk apiece.

Goeke tossed a complete game for the Seahawks, retiring the last 11 batters he faced. He allowed one earned run on four hits with three strikeouts and two walks.

Capra and Kyle Cala each had two hits for Wagner, with Godino driving in a pair of runs.

GAME 2: CCSU 10, Wagner 7

The Blue Devils scored five runs in the first inning and added five more in the fourth before holding off a Wagner rally in the seventh to win game two. 

The Blue Devils jumped out to a five-run lead in the first inning. Junior Dean Lockery and Coleman drew walks to lead off the game and junior Ryan Costello followed with a single to score Lockery and make it 1-0. Dewaine delivered a single up the middle to score another run and was followed by Guilmette walking to load the bases. With nobody out, freshman Chris Kanios singled to right to drive in a pair and make it 4-0. The Seahawks would then get two outs, but before they could escape further damage, junior Nick Garland singled to drive in Guilmette to make it 5-0 and force a pitching change before the inning ended.

Wagner came back with three runs in the third. A walk and back-to-back singles loaded the bases for Godino, who walked to bring in a run and make it 5-1. The Blue Devils to a pop up for the second out of the inning and CCSU had a chance to end the inning, but a throwing error would allow two Seahawks to score and make it 5-3.

Central came back with five runs in the top of the fourth. Senior Nick Landell walked and moved to third on a double by Lockery to open the inning. A sacrifice fly by Coleman scored Landell to make it 6-3. After an intentional walk and a hit batter, the Blue Devils would load the bases for junior Mitch Guilmette who delivered a two-run single to make it 8-3. After a bunt single by Kanios loaded the bases again, senior Franklin Jennings singled home a pair of runs to push the CCSU lead to 10-3.

Wagner would mount a rally in the seventh after the first two batters would be retired. Godino would draw a walk and consecutive singles would load the bases. Anthony Pecora followed with a triple to clear the bases and cut the CCSU lead to 10-6. A double by Eric Lauk would drive home a run to make it 10-7, but sophomore Jared Gallagher would get a groundout to close the door on the rally. 

Sophomore Mike Appel got the win for Central. He started and went 6.0 innings, allowing one earned run on seven hits with three strikeouts and four walks. 

The Blue Devils churned out 10 hits as a team. Kanios collected three hits with two RBIs, while Jennings also had two hits and two runs batted in.

Chris Mormile took the loss for Wagner. He was charged with five runs in 0.2 innings. He allowed four hits and three walks. 

Kyle Cala had three hits for Wagner, which totalled 11 hits as a team.

The teams will conclude the series with a seven-inning and a nine-inning contest. They are scheduled to resume play on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. Follow @CCSUBlueDevils on Twitter and www.CCSUBlueDevils.com for the latest news and updates.