Baseball Wins NEC Opener at UMES on Friday

The Central Connecticut baseball team opened Northeast Conference play with a 10-2 win at UMES on Friday in Salisbury, MD.  The Blue Devils got 7.0 strong innings from Dominic Niman and scored nine runs in the top of the eighth for the win.

GAME INFORMATION | BOX SCORE
Score: CCSU 10, UMES 2
Pitching Record: W: Niman (2-0) | L: Covington (0-4) | Sv: - -
Records: CCSU (3-3, 1-0 NEC), UMES (1-12, 0-1 NEC)
Location: Henry S. Parker | Salisbury, MD

KEY MOMENTS

• The game was scoreless through 3.0 innings, with the teams combining for just two hits. Kyle Gordon reached base and moved to second via an error to lead off the fourth. After advancing on a ground out, he scored on a single by Joe Rios to put CCSU up 1-0.
• Dominic Niman was nearly flawless on the mound for the Blue Devils. He allowed just one Shore Hawk runner past second in the first five innings, but UMES would get to him for a run in the sixth. Following a leadoff walk, a sac bunt moved the UMES runner to second with one out. Brantley Cutler would single through the middle to drive in a run and tie the game. Following another single to put runners on first and second, Niman got an inning-ending double play.
• With one out in the eighth, Jimmy Sullivan doubled to left to begin an eight-run inning for CCSU. Elliot Good, Derek Haughey and Dan Hussey each hit run-scoring doubles in the inning, while Brady Short, Hunter Pasqualini and Ramon Jimenez added singles to drive in runs. CCSU batted through the order in the inning and Short would close out the scoring with a sac fly to put Central ahead, 10-1.
• TJ Wainwright would come on in the bottom of the eighth and tossed the final 2.0 innings for CCSU. UMES would scrap together a pair of hits and a walk, but managed just a RBI-groundout in the ninth as Wainwright got a groundout to end the game.

NOTES

• UMES joined the NEC as an associate member ahead of the 2023 season. CCSU and UMES were meeting for the first time since a pair of games on March 4, 2004.
• Niman scattered four hits and allowed just one walk while recording 11 strikeouts. In two starts this season he has 18 strikeouts and just two walks in 12.2 innings.
• The Central lineup collected a season-high 11 hits and four doubles, while scoring a season-best 10 runs.
• Each starter in the CCSU batting order collected at least one hit.
• Derek Haughey went 2-for-5 with a run and two RBIs.
• Jimmy Sullivan hit 2-for-3 with a run scored.
• Jimenez and Short each added two RBIs and lead the team with seven and five, respectively, on the season.

UP NEXT

The Blue Devils play Maryland-Eastern Shore again on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.