Baseball Comes Up Short to Bryant on Friday

The Central Connecticut baseball team came up short in a pitchers' duel on Friday, falling to Bryant, 4-2, in Northeast Conference action at CCSU Baseball Field. Central was unable to overcome to a three-run deficit despite allowing the Bulldogs to score just one run over the final six innings.

GAME ONE INFORMATION
Score: CCSU 2, Bryant 4
Records: CCSU (14-8, 11-5 NEC), BRY (15-9-1, 12-1 NEC)
Location: CCSU Baseball Field | New Britain, CT
Pitching Record: W: Mattison (6-2) | L: Braun (4-1) | Sv: - -

KEY MOMENTS

• Bryant gave starter, Tyler Mattison, all the support he would need with three runs in the first three innings. An RBI groundout scored Matt Woods in the first, before an error allowed a run to score in the second. The Bulldogs made it 3-0 in the third on a single by Vincenzo Castronovo.
• Mattison, would allow just two hits through the first 7.0 innings. After CCSU got runners on first and second with no outs in the fourth, he would get a double-play and a strikeout to end the inning.
• After Bryant plated a run in the top of the eighth, CCSU would mount its biggest threat of the game. Junior Sam Loda would score on a two-out single by classmate Matt Bertochi to make it 4-1. A pair of singles by sophomore Dan Covino and junior Jay Devito would load the bases with two outs. Freshman Noah Martinez would lace a sinking liner into the left field gap, but Bryant's Derek Smith would make a diving grab to end the inning and protect the lead.
• Freshman Dan Hussey pinch hit to lead off the bottom of the ninth. He took the first pitch he saw over the fence in right field to make it 4-2. Mattison would get three straight ground outs to end the game.

NUMBER TO KNOW

4 - Four of the runs in the game came with two outs.

NOTES

• Braun tossed 6.0 innings, allowing three runs, just two earned. He had six strikeouts and one walk. He has recorded 50 strikeouts, against four walks, in 44.2 innings on the season.
• Mattison threw a complete game for Bryant. He allowed two runs on six hits with 12 strikeouts and two walks.
• Covino went 3-for-4 for Central. He was the first Blue Devil to reach base when he led off the fourth inning with a single.
• Devito went 1-for-3 and drew a walk. He has reached base in every game this season.
• Hussey hit his first career homerun. Both of his career hits have been for extra-bases. He had a double against FDU on March 26.
• The pitching matchup featured the nation's top two pitchers in strikeout-to-walk ratio and walks allowed per nine innings. Mattison entered with a national-best 16.0 strikeout-to-walk ratio, 0.65 walks allowed per nine innings, while Braun was just behind at 14.67 and 0.70.
• Devito entered the weekend with a 0.545 on-base percentage, which ranks second nationally. He also ranks fourth nationally, drawing 1.10 walks per game.

UP NEXT

The teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 12:00 p.m.