UMass Downs Baseball, 4-2, on Sunday

The Central Connecticut baseball team fell to Massachusetts, 4-2, on Sunday at the New England Baseball Complex in Northborough, MA. Senior Mitch Guilmette hit a pair of homeruns for CCSU, but the Minutemen scored three runs in the opening two innings for all the offense they would need. The loss drops the Blue Devils to 2-5 overall, while UMass is 2-3.

The Blue Devils are scheduled to host Albany at home on Tuesday, March 13.

The Minutemen opened the scoring in the first with an uneared run when Alec Norton came around from second to score on a throwing error to make it 1-0.

UMass tacked on two runs in the second. Brett Evangelista singled with two outs and moved to second on a hit by pitch to Eddy Hart. Ryan Lever followed with a double to plate Evangelista and push Hart to third to make it 2-0. Hart would come across on a wild pitch to make it 2-0.

The Blue Devils got onto the scoreboard in the fourth when Guilmette hit a one-out homer to right field to make it 3-1. 

UMass tacked on a run in the eighth with two outs. Cooper Mrowka was hit by a pitch and and moved to second on a ground out. A dropped foul fly would extend the at bat Marcus Fry, who took advantage by singling and bringing in a run to make it 4-1. 

With two outs in the ninth inning, Guilmette got his second homer of the day with a drive to right field to close out the scoring.

Junior Mike Appel (2-1) started for Central and was charged with the loss. He allowed two earned runs in 3.0 innings, while striking out five and walking two.

Guilmette finished the day 2-for-4 at the plate. Senior Dylan Maher, sophomore Buddy Dewaine and freshman Peyton Stephens each had a hit for the Blue Devils.

Justin Lasko started and allowed one run in 4.0 innings with five strikeouts for UMass. Brooks Knapek got the win, tossing 4.0 innings and striking out four with just one walk. Carter Knapek tossed the ninth to pick up the save.

Lever and Fry each had two hits for the Minutemen.