Baseball Splits Doubleheader at Bryant Sunday

The Central Connecticut baseball team split a Sunday doubleheader at Bryant at Conaty Park in Northeast Conference action. The Blue Devils won the day's first game on junior Buddy Dewaine's single in the top of the ninth to win, 6-5, before the Bulldogs took the second game, 14-4. 

CCSU moved to 8-7 overall and 1-2 in the Northeast Conference, while Bryant is 12-9 overall and 2-1 in the conference.

Central returns to action on Tuesday with a game at Fairfield.

GAME 1: CCSU 6, Bryant 5

The Blue Devils won the first game on a single by junior Buddy Dewaine with two outs in the top of the ninth to win 6-5. 

Bryant scored two runs in the second inning. Gaby Cruz and Nick Angelini each singled in runs to make it 2-0.

Central came back with a four-run third inning to take the lead. Sophomore Jay Devito led off with a single and moved to third following a single by classmate Christian Layne. A wild pitch would score Devito to make it 2-1. CCSU loaded the bases with two outs and Dewaine would put the ball in the play to centerfield, but a Bryant error would clear the bases to make it 4-2.

The Bulldogs got two runs in the fourth inning to tie the game before the teams traded runs in the seventh and eighth innings. In the CCSU seventh Layne drew a one-out walk and moved to second on a single by sophomore Chandler Debrosse. Sophomore Sam LOda grounded into a fielder's choice at second base to drive in Layne and make it 5-4.

Bryant got a leadoff double by Cruz in the eighth. Angelini would single with one out to score Cruz and tie the game.

Debrosse singled with one out in the Central ninth and moved to second on a wild pitch. With two outs Dewaine singled to score Debrosse and give the Blue Devils a 6-5 lead.

Senior Mike Appel would retire Bryant in order in the ninth to pick up the win for CCSU.

CCSU got two hits apiece from Debrosse and Devito. Debrosse went 2-for-3 and scored two runs, while Devito scored a run. The Blue Devils finished with seven hits as a team and drew seven walks, while taking advantage of two Bryant errors. 

Junior Brandon Fox started for CCSU and went 5.1 innings, allowing three earned runs. He allowed six hits and struck out one, while working around four walks. Appel came on in relief to throw 3.2 innings. He allowed one run on two hits and walked one while improving to 2-0 on the season.

GAME 2: Bryant 14, CCSU 4

The Bulldogs scored four runs in the third inning to take the lead and broke the game open with a five-run seventh inning to win 14-4 in Sunday's second game.

The teams traded runs in the second inning. CCSU opened the scoring in the top of the frame after sophomore Peyton Stephens hit back-to-back two out doubles. Sophomore Sam Loda would connect for a third straight hit and drive in Stephens to make it 1-0.

After the Bulldogs tied the game with a run in the bottom of the inning, CCSU came back with two runs in the top of the third. Freshman Dan Covino and junior Dave Matthews drew walks to open the inning before a Bryant pitching change. A single by Dewaine would load the bases with no outs. Sophomore Jake Siracusa drove in the first run on a ground out and a throwing error on the play would allow Covino to score from second to make it 4-2.

In the bottom of the inning, Bryant loaded the bases with two outs. Sam Owens would clear the bases with a grand slam to make it 5-3. 

Central got a run back in the fourth after junior Dave Matthews' sacrifice fly scored Layne to make it a one-run game.

The Bulldogs would begin to pull away with a three-run homer by Titus in the bottom of the inning. 

After an RBI-single by Owens in the sixth made it, 9-4, Bryant would push across five runs in the seventh inning. A pair of home runs by Angelini and Ciliento and a double by Titus and sac fly by Cruz would close out the game's scoring.

Central got hits from six different batters in the game, with Layne and Stephens each getting a hit and run scored. Matthews, Siracusa and Loda each had a run batted in. Senior Patrick Mitchell started for CCSU, but would take the loss after 3.0 innings of work.

Titus had four hits and four RBIs to power the Bryant offense. Will Treuel got the win in relief after tossing 1.1 innings.

Central returns to action on Tuesday when it travels to Fairfield for a 3:00 p.m. game.