Baseball Wins Over Niagara in the 9th Inning, 5-4

The Central Connecticut baseball team won with two runs in the bottom of the ninth to down Niagara, 5-4, on Saturday at Vestal, NY. The Blue Devils rallied for the neutral site win played at Binghamton University to improve to 12-9 on the season. Central has won three games in a row.

The Blue Devils play at Binghamton on Sunday at Noon.

The CCSU rally in the ninth inning began with junior Buddy Dewaine hitting a single and moving to second on a sacrifice. Following a walk to sophomore Sam Loda, freshman Tim Buchek singled to left center to drive in Dewaine and tie the game, 4-4. Sophomore Jay Devito drew a walk to load the bases, setting up freshman Dan Covino who entered as a pinch hitter. Covino would hit a fly ball to center field that allowed Loda to come home to win the game, 5-4.

Central would open the scoring in the game to take an early lead. With two outs in the second inning, Buchek hit a homerun to right center to drive in Dewaine and spot CCSU a 2-0 lead.

Niagara would score the game's next four runs to take the lead. A sacrifice fly by Peter Battaglia in the third inning drove in the Purple Eagles' first run of the day before a solo homerun by Max Giordano to lead off the sixth inning tied the game, 2-2.

Niagara would take the lead with a pair of runs in the seventh inning. Darian Blanks was hit by a pitch to lead off and would move to third on a wild pitch and infield single. Alex Zulia drove him in on a sacrifice fly and a trip by Battaglia scored Zulia to make it 4-2.

The Blue Devils got a run in the seventh after Loda hit a one-out single and would move to third following a walk and a groundout. Loda would score on a wild pitch with two outs to make it 4-3 and set up the Central rally in the ninth.

Dewaine, Loda and Buchek each had two hits to account for CCSU's six hits on the day. Bucheck scored a run and drove in three more, while Dewaine and Loda each scored twice.

Senior Tom Curtin started and went 6.0 innings for Central. He scattered five hits and allowed just two runs. Junior Michael Delease tossed 2.0 shutout innings and got the win. He allowed just two hits, while striking out a pair.

Matthew Brash started for Niagara and allowed two runs in 5.0 innings. He allowed three hits, while striking out nine and walking one in the no-decision. Michael Gabriele went 3-for-5 with two runs for the Purple Eagles, while Battaglia had two hits and drove in two runs.

CCSU will close out the weekend with a game at Binghamton on Sunday.