Baseball Extends Win Streak on Rios' Ninth-Inning Homerun at Delaware State

The Central Connecticut baseball team rallied with three runs in the ninth to win, 8-6, on Saturday at Delaware State in Dover, DE.  The Blue Devils won their fifth straight game after a three-run homer by Joe Rios in the top of the ninth erased a 6-5 deficit.

The teams wrap up the series on Sunday at 12:00 p.m.

GAME INFORMATION | BOX SCORE
Score: CCSU 8, Delaware St. 6
Pitching Record: W: Wainwright (1-0) | L: Loper (0-2) | Sv: Garofalo (4)
Records: CCSU (7-3, 5-0 NEC), DSU (5-11, 1-4 NEC)
Location: Bob Reed Field | Dover, DE

KEY MOMENTS

• Delaware State took a 2-0 lead through three innings but CCSU would climb back with a three-run fifth. After the first two batters were retired Kyle Gordon and Hunter Pasqualini drew walks. A fielding error in right field would allow one run to score and the inning to continue for Ramon Jimenez who singled home two runs to make it 3-2.
• The Hornets answered in the sixth drawing a pair of walks to open the inning and forcing the first of two pitching changes in the inning. A two-out single by Chris Amparo tied the game before two more walks would load the bases and score another run. A passed ball with the bases loaded allowed another run to score and give DSU a 5-3 lead.
• Pasqualini led off the seventh with a double and moved to third on a throwing error. Rios followed on a walk and back-to-back wild pitches would allow Pasqualini to score and Rios to move to third base with nobody out. Jimenez would hit a sacrifice fly to drive in his third run of the game and make it 5-5.
• In the bottom of the eighth, DSU drew a leadoff walk and moved the runner to second on a sac bunt. A single would put runners on the corners before Trey Paige plated a run on a RBI-groundout to make it 6-5.
• In the top of the ninth, Gordon led off with a walk and moved to second after Pasqualini was hit by a pitch. Rios followed and hit a homerun to right field to put CCSU in front, 8-6. Luke Garofalo came on to throw the ninth and worked around one hit to record his fourth save of the season.

NOTES

• Delaware State joined the NEC as an associate member ahead of the 2023 season.
• The Blue Devils have won five straight games, all in Northeast Conference play.
• Rios went 2-or-4 with three runs scored and four RBIs. The homerun in the ninth was the second of his career to come in the eighth inning or later with CCSU trailing. He hit a grand slam against FDU in the eighth inning of the NEC Tournament last season to give CCSU a 7-6 lead.
• Pasqualini was 2-for-3 with three runs and a stolen base.
• The top three batters in the CCSU batting order accounted for all eight runs (Gordon scored two runs) and had four of the Blue Devils' seven hits.
• Garofalo has four saves in five appearances. He has allowed just two hits across 10.1 innings and has recorded 11 strikeouts.
• Anthony Mozzicato started and went 5.0 innings. He was charged with four runs on two hits, while allowing six walks and recording a strikeout.

UP NEXT

The teams wrap up the series on Sunday at 12:00 p.m.