Baseball Falls to LIU in Series Finale, 3-1, on Sunday

The Central Connecticut baseball team fell to LIU Brooklyn, 3-1, on Sunday in the Northeast Conference series finale at CCSU Baseball Field. The Blue Devils had three players collect two hits each, but a two-run double in the seventh for the Blackbirds was all that separated the teams. 

The loss drops Central to 12-19 overall and 8-9 in the NEC, while LIU moves to 20-16 overall and 10-7 in league play.

The Blue Devils travel to Albany on Tuesday for a 3:00 p.m. non-conference tilt.

The Blackbirds got on the scoreboard first with a run in the top of the third. A pair of hit batters and a walk loaded the bases for LIU with just one out. Sophomore Arik Sypher came on in relief and although the Blackbirds got a sac fly from Eddie Modica to make it 1-0, he would get a fly ball to end the inning with just minimal damage.

Freshman Christian Layne opened the CCSU fifth with a single and moved to second on a groundout. Senior Nick Garland roped a double down the line in left to score Layne and make it 1-1, but LIU got out of the inning without further harm.

Sypher retired 13 of the first 14 batters he faced before LIU managed to get to him in the seventh. With two outs, Anthony Warneke and Luis Arias hit back-to-back singles before Andrew Turner drove them both in with a double to make it 3-1.

CCSU would manage four baserunners over the final three at bats, but Mike Kreiger would work around a walk and basehit in the ninth to pick up the save.

Layne finished with two hits and a run scored, while sophomore Buddy Dewaine and freshman Peyton Stephens also each had two hits for the Blue Devils.

Sypher pitched well in relief for Central, allowing just four hits with two strikeouts over 4.1 innings, but he took the loss after allowing two runs.

Warneke had three hits and scored two runs for LIU. Jackson Svete got the win, tossing 3.0 shutout innings of relief.