Baseball Rallies Past FDU in 13 Innings on Friday

April 29, 2022

Central Connecticut scored two runs in the ninth to force extra innings before outlasting FDU, 9-7, in the opener of a three-game Northeast Conference series on Friday in Teaneck, NJ. Junior Noah Martinez hit a two-run homerun in the top of the ninth to send the game to extra innings and junior Dan Covino would deliver a go-ahead single in the top of the 13th.

The win also marked CCSU head coach Charlie Hickey's 600th career win at the school

The Blue Devils and the Knights continue the series with game two on Saturday.

GAME INFORMATION | BOX SCORE
Score: CCSU 9, FDU 7 (13 innings)
Pitching Record: W: Garofalo (3-0) | L: Simon (3-3) | Sv: - -
Records: CCSU (19-12, 10-6 NEC), FDU (20-21, 12-4 NEC)
Location: Naimoli Family Baseball Complex | Teaneck, NJ

KEY MOMENTS

Central struck first in the third inning, doing all of their damage with two outs. Senior Jay Devito beat out an infield single to extend the inning and junior Dan Covino would draw a walk. Junior Noah Martinez lofted a flyball into left field that was misplayed, allowing two runs to scores. Senior Sam Loda followed with a single to drive in Martinez and make it 3-0.
FDU would claw back into the game, taking a 5-3 lead through seven innings. The Knights got two runs in the fourth and another in the sixth. Tom Ruscitti doubled home their first run in the fourth and singled home a run to tie the game, 3-3. With two outs in the seventh, FDU would string together back-to-back singles before Hunter D'Amato delivered a two-run double to make it 5-3.
The Blue Devils would knot the game up in the eighth. Sophomore Joe Rios and Michael Torniero each singled home runs to make it 5-5.
The Knights came back in the bottom of the inning with a RBI-single by Bralon Harden to take the lead and then tacked on a run with a bases-loaded walk to D'Amato to make it 7-5.
In the top of the ninth, with one out and a runner on first Martinez hit his seventh homerun of the season to tie the game at 7-all.
The Knigths would have the winning run on third with one in the 10th inning, but sophomore Luke Garofalo would get a strikeout and a pop up to keep the score level.
In the top of the 13th, CCSU drew back-to-back walks with one out to set the table for Covino. He would single to right driving in a run and an error on the play allowed another run to score to make it 9-7. Garofalo would retire FDU in order in the bottom of the inning to seal the win.

NOTES

CCSU head coach Charlie Hickey is 600-520-5 in 23 years at CCSU and has a 706-581-6 record overall.
The game was the longest contest for CCSU since a 5-4 win over Brown in 13 innings on March 8, 2015.
Sophomore Luke Garofalo earned the win in relief. He allowed just two hits in 5.1 shutout innings, while striking out six.
All nine batters in the CCSU lineup had at least one hit in the game.
Covino, Martinez, Loda and freshman Kyle Gordon each had two hits for CCSU.
Niman, who struck out 12 and walked none in his last start, recorded strikeouts for the first six outs of the game. He would finish with nine punchouts in the game, but did not figure in the decision after being charged with five runs.

UP NEXT

The Blue Devils and the Knights continue the series with game two on Saturday.