Baseball Falls to Sacred Heart in Friday's Series-Opener

The Central Connecticut baseball team dropped Friday's Northeast Conference series-opener, 4-1, to Sacred Heart at CCSU Baseball Field. The Blue Devils were limited to a lone run in the ninth inning, while the Pioneers scored in the first and fifth innings for the winning margin. The loss dropped CCSU to 12-12 overall and 3-4 in league play.

The Blue Devils host the Pioneers on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.

Senior Tom Curtin tossed 7.0 innings for Central and recorded seven strikeouts, but took the loss after being charged with four runs. Junior Andrew Braun tossed 2.0 shutout innings in relief.

The Pioneers struck for two runs in the first inning. Elijah Brown singled to open the game and moved to second on a balk before scoring on a double by Anthony Porrino. A single by Jake Frasca would drive in Porrino to make it 2-0.

Sacred Heart added a pair of runs in the fifth inning with Isiah Daubon and Danny Glendon each driving in a run to push the lead to 4-0.

That would be all the offense SHU starter Ryan LaMay would need. LaMay threw 7.2 shutout innings, while striking out five and scattering six hits. He retired 11 straight batters at one point and did not allow a runner past second base until he left with two outs in the eighth inning.

Central would get on the scoreboard in the ninth after sophomore Jake Siracusa reached first on a dropped third strike. He scored on a double by sophomore Peyton Stephens to make it 4-1. Frasca came on to get the final two outs and seal the save for SHU.

Sophomore TT Bowens went 2-for-4 with a double for CCSU. Siracusa had a hit and a run, while Stephens drove in Central's lone run on his double. Sophomore Sam Loda also had a double for CCSU.

The Blue Devils play Sacred Heart on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.