Baseball Splits Saturday Doubleheader with Sacred Heart

The Central Connecticut baseball team split a doubleheader with Sacred Heart on Saturday at CCSU Baseball Field. The Blue Devils scored five runs in the first two innings of game two, en route to a 7-4 win. The Pioneers took the first game, 9-5. SHU is the designated home team for the series, but the games are being played at the Blue Devils' field.

Central moved to 8-12 overall and 5-3 in the Northeast Conference, while Sacred Heart is now 6-16 overall and 2-5 in the NEC.

GAME 1: SHU 9, CCSU 5

Sacred Heart took advantage of a five-run seventh inning to take the day's first game, a nine-inning contest.

The Pioneers got a pair of unearned runs in the third inning to build an early 2-0 lead.

The Blue Devils scratched a run back in the top of the fifth inning. Sophomore Chris Kanios hit a triple with one out and scored on senior Mitch Guilmette's sacrifice fly to make it 2-1.

CCSU took the lead in the sixth inning with two runs. Freshman Jake Siracusa singled with one out and moved to second on a sacrifice. Freshman Jeremy Sagun would hit a double to the gap in right field to score Siracusa and make it 2-2. Senior Dylan Maher followed with a single to drive in a run and make it 3-2.

The Pioneers regained the lead in the bottom of the inning with RBI singles from Elijah Brown and Stephen Thibault to make it 4-3.

Sacred Heart broke the game open in the seventh inning. With two outs, SHU would string together back-to-back hits and a walk to load the bases. A walk to Austin Markmann brought home the tying run, before Brown followed with a grand slam homerun to clear the bases and make it 9-3.

Central would get a pair of runs back in the eighth to cut the deficit. Senior Nick Garland was hit by a pitch to open the inning before Siracusa followed with a triple to score the inning's first run. Freshman Peyton Stephens followed with a groundout to plate Siracusa and make it 9-5. CCSU would get runners on first and second with one out in the inning, but following a pitching change the Pioneers would end the threat.

Sophomore Brandon Fox started and did not figure in the decision for CCSU. He tossed 5.0 innings and allowed one earned run on six hits. He walked two and struck out one.

Central had nine hits as a team, with Siracusa going 3-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI to lead the way.

James Taubl got the win for SHU. He went 6.0 innings and allowed three runs on seven hits. He walked four and struck out one. The Pioneers had 13 hits, led by Jake Frasca's three hits. 

GAME 2: CCSU 7, SHU 4

The Blue Devils bounced back in game two, scoring five runs in the first two innings to build a lead it would hold throughout.

Kanios was hit by a pitch to lead off and moved to third on a single by senior Dean Lockery. A wild pitch would move the runners up, scoring Kanios to make it 1-0. SHU was nearly out of the inning when Siracusa swung at strike three, but the ball got away from the catcher and Siracusa reached and Lockery moved to third. Lockery would steal home on the next batter to make it 2-0. A single by senior Nick Garland would score Siracusa from second to push the lead to 3-0.

The Pioneers managed an unearned run in the bottom of the inning, but the Blue Devils came back with two more in the second.

Freshman Sam Loda singled to lead off and a pair of walks would load the bases with one out. Sophomore Buddy Dewaine hit a sac fly to right field to score a run and make it 4-1. Siracusa followed with a double to drive in another run and make it 5-1.

Sacred Heart got a run in the fourth, but sophomore Andrew Braun would come on in relief and leave the bases full getting a strikeout to end the inning.

Lockery and Guilmette led off the seventh with singles for CCSU and Dewaine would follow with a double to drive them both in and make it 7-2.

SHU would get a two-run homer from Isiah Daubon in the bottom of the inning, but the Blue Devils would end the inning and the game with a groundout.

Lockery went 2-for-3 with three runs as CCSU had seven hits as a team. Dewaine drove in three runs.

Senior Kyle Anderson started and went 3.2 innings, allowing one earned run with two strikeouts. He walked one and allowed five hits. Braun got the win in relief tossing 1.1 shutout innings. Junior Tom Curtin picked up his second save of the year.

Kyle Oliver went 4-for-4 for SHU as the Pioneers had 10 hits as a team. Brent Teller started, but allowed seven runs in 6.1 innings to take the loss. He struck out five, but walked three and gave up seven hits.

The teams will close the series Sunday with a doubleheader at Noon.