Niman Goes the Distance, Baseball Wins NEC Title Against Wagner

Northeast Conference Tournament MVP Dominic Niman tossed a complete-game and the top-seeded Central Connecticut baseball team topped second-seeded Wagner, 12-3, on  Sunday in Wappingers Falls, NY. On two days rest, Niman allowed just five hits and recorded four strikeouts in his second win of the postseason..

The NCAA Bracket will be announced on Monday at Noon.

GAME INFORMATION | BOX SCORE

Score: #1 CCSU 12,  #2 Wagner 3
Pitching Record: W: Niman (12-2)  |  L: Bilka (4-1) | Sv: - -
Records: CCSU (36-12), Wagner (32-24)
Location: Heritage Financial Park | Wappingers Falls, NY 

CHARLIE HICKEY INTERVIEW

DOMINIC NIMAN INTERVIEW

MIKE TORNIERO INTERVIEW

KEY MOMENTS

• Wagner opened the scoring in the bottom of the first. An error with one out put a runner on first base. David Melfi followed with a home run to left field to make it 2-0.
• In the second, Aidan Redahan and Jeff Nicol reached base to open the second. A fly ball would move everyone up a base and then a wild pitch allowed Redahan to open the scoring for CCSU. Michael Torniero lofted a fly ball into center field that dropped and drove in a run to make it 2-2.
• CCSU threatened in the third when a two-base error with two outs led to the Blue Devils loading the bases. Wagner would work out of the jam with an inning-ending groundball to keep the game tied.
• The Seahawks opened the fourth inning with Griffin Selby singling to left and moving to second on an error. Dante Faicchio followed with a double to drive him in and make it 3-2.
• CCSU would take the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning. The Blue Devils would load the bases with nobody out and a single by Brady Short drove in the tying run and left the bases jammed. After a force out at home, Ramon Jimenez hit a fielder's choice up the middle and beat the throw at first to allow a run to come home and make it 4-3.
• In the bottom of the sixth, Short poked a ball inside the line down the third base line to lead off with a double. He scored on the next batter when Kyle Gordon doubled to right field and make it 5-3.
• The Blue Devils would break the game open with a three-run homer by Elliot Good in the seventh and then scored four more runs in the eighth. Jimenez would hit a solo homer and Jeff Nicol, Jimmy Sullivan and Good each drove in runs to close out the scoring.

NOTES

• Central won its eighth NEC title and has appeared in eight NCAA Tournaments.
• Niman tossed 16.0 innings in the NEC Tournament and posted a 1.69 ERA. He had 18 strikeouts and just two walks.
• The nine-inning complete game was the second of the season for Niman.
• Luke Garofalo, Elliot Good, Ramon Jimenez and Mike Torniero joined Niman on the All-Tournament team.
• Torniero went 4-for-4 with three runs scored. In the two championship round games against Wagner he was a combined 7-for-7 with five runs scored.
• Good drove in four runs on two hits in Sunday's win, while Jimenez drove in two runs and hit his second homer of the Tournament.
• Garofalo went 7.0 innings in his first career start on Saturday to set up Sunday's tilt, while he also had a save in Thursday's win over Sacred Heart.
• CCSU improved to 7-2 all-time in NEC Tournament meetings with Wagner and is 74-37 all-time against Wagner.
• The Blue Devils advanced to the decisive game from the elimination bracket for the sixth time in program history and is 5-1 all-time in winner-take-all championship games.

UP NEXT

The NCAA Bracket will be announced on Monday at Noon.

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