Baseball Rallies by Merrimack on Saturday

May 21, 2022

The Central Connecticut baseball team closed out the regular season with a 6-5 comeback win over Merrimack on Saturday in New Britain. The Blue Devils scored the go-ahead run in the eighth inning to earn the series sweep. Prior to the game Central honored its five seniors; Dan Covino, Michael Torniero, Dylan Sanchez, Dylan Benton and Jack Nolan.

The Blue Devils will play in the NEC Tournament on Thursday, May 26, at 4:00 p.m.

GAME INFORMATION | BOX SCORE
Score: CCSU 6, Merrimack 5
Pitching Record: W: Garofalo (4-1) | L: Kalantzakos (1-6) | Sv: - -
Records: CCSU (28-16, 17-10 NEC), Merrimack (17-31-1, 12-15 NEC)
Location: CCSU Baseball Field | New Britain, CT

KEY MOMENTS

Central opened the scoring for the third straight game. Sophomore Hunter Pasqualini and senior Jay Devito led off with consecutive singles. Pasqualini would score on a groundout by junior Noah Martinez to make it 1-0.
Merrimack came back with two unearned runs in the top of the second. After a pair of runners reached via errors, Ben Nelson hit a two-out single up the middle to drive in two runs.
Junior Jack Nolan led off the bottom of the second with a single for CCSU. Sophomore Joe Rios followed, hitting a long fly over the fence to right-center giving CCSU a 3-2 lead.
Merrimack managed to do damage in the sixth inning after Central went to the bullpen. The Warriors would load the bases and Kurtis Stadnicki and Andrew Selima were hit by pitches in back-to-back at bats to bring in two runs and make it 4-3. Scott Elliott would hit a single back at the pitcher with the bases loaded to bring in another run and make it 5-3.
Martinez led off the bottom of the sixth with a homerun to right field. The Blue Devils would then load the bases with a pair of singles and a walk with no outs. Junior Michael Torniero would hit into a fielder's choice to plate a run and tie the game at 5-5.
Rios hit a one-out double deep to center field in the bottom of the eighth. After a pinch runner came on, sophomore Elliot Good lined a single into center field and scored freshman Kyle Gordon from second to put the Blue Devils in front.

NOTES

Sophomore Luke Garofalo tossed 4.0 innings of scoreless relief to earn the win. He struck out five and allowed just three singles.
Sophomore Anthony Mozzicato started for Central and went 5.0 innings. He allowed just four hits and a pair of unearned runs, while recording two strikeouts. He lowered his ERA to 2.94 on the season.
Rios went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored, while Pasqualini had two hits. Pasqualini had at least two hits in all three games against Merrimack.
Martinez hit his 14th homerun of the season, the most in a single-season since Pat Epps hit a program-best 18 in 2010. Martinez also has a NEC-best 59 RBIs.
Excluding the COVID-shortened 2020 season, Central has posted three straight 25+ win seasons. CCSU has 17 such seasons under head coach Charlie Hickey.
Central has gone 16-5 since April 12.

UP NEXT

The Blue Devils will play in the NEC Tournament on Thursday, May 26, at 4:00 p.m.