Baseball Downed by Saint Joseph's on Wednesday, 8-2

The Central Connecticut baseball team dropped its finale at the Snowbird Classic, falling 8-2 to Saint Joseph's on Wednesday in Punta Gorda, FL. The Hawks built a four-run lead and the Blue Devils were unable to mount a rally. Central slips to 3-5 overall on the season.

Junior Chris Kanios and sophomores Jake Siracusa and Peyton Stephens each had two hits for CCSU. Kanios drove in both runs for Central, which had seven hits as a team.

The Blue Devils return home to host Saint Peter's on Saturday. The teams will play a doubleheader beginning at 1:00 p.m.

SJU scored the games first four runs. After getting a run in the third, the Hawks tacked on three runs in the fourth. Brian Vance hit a two-run single and Brendan Hueth drove in one more with a single to make it 4-0.

CCSU got on the board in the fifth. Stephens knocked a one-out single and moved to second following a walk. Kanios would drive in Stephens with a single to make it 4-1.

The Hawks would respond with two runs in the bottom of the inning. Vance drove in his second run of the day with a single and pushed the lead to 6-1.

Dominic Cuoci singled home a run in the sixth for Saint Joseph's and James McConnon doubled home a run in the seventh to give the Hawks an 8-1 lead.

Sophomore James Dolaghan led off the CCSU ninth with a walk and advanced on a single. He would move to third after SJU turned a double-play. With two outs, Kanios singled home his second run of the day to make it 8-2.

Freshman Tim Buchek made his first start for Central and would go 3.1 innings, but took the loss allowing four runs.

Luke Zimmerman tossed 6.0 innings of one-run ball for SJU to get the win. Vance drove in three runs for the Hawks, while Hueth, Liam Bendo and Nate Thomas each had three hits for the Hawks.