Baseball Takes Series Opener from LIU on Friday
March 15, 2024
The Central Connecticut baseball team downed LIU, 5-3, on Friday to open a three-game Northeast Conference series in New Britain. The Blue Devils scored three runs in the first inning and Jake Neuman made the lead stand up across 7.2 innings of work.
The teams will play again on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.
GAME INFORMATION | BOX SCORE
Score: CCSU 5, LIU 3
Pitching Record: W: Neuman (2-2) | L: Yawn (0-2) | Save: Garofalo (1)
Records: CCSU (3-5, 3-1 NEC), LIU (3-11, 2-2 NEC)
Location: CCSU Baseball Field | New Britain, CT
KEY MOMENTS
- LIU opened the scoring in the first with one run. Seth Surrett led off with a single before moving to second on a wild pitch. He advanced to third on a flyout to right field before scoring on a ground out by JC Navarro to make it 1-0.
- The Blue Devils would open the bottom of the inning by drawing back-to-back walks. With one out, Aidan Redahan roped a groundball to first, but an errant throw allowed Brady Short to score from second and left runners on the corners. After Colby Brouillette singled to load the bases with two outs, Elliot Good would lace a single through the middle to drive in two runs and make it 3-1.
- CCSU added two runs in the second after Michael Torneiro and Short singled and doubled to open the frame. Antonio Ducatelli drove in a run with a groundout and with two outs, Jeff Nicol would push the lead to 5-1 with a single.
- LIU would score a run in the third, taking advantage of a Central miscue, but would be unable to get to Neuman again until the eighth inning. After an inning opening walk, a sac bunt moved the runner to second. Neuman would get a strikeout before allowing a walk to put runners on first and second. A single to left by Jake Mastillo would drive in a run and end Neuman's day, but Luke Garofalo would enter and force an inning-ending fly ball. He closed the game with a 1-2-3 ninth inning.
NOTES
- CCSU leads the all-time series, 55-32, and has won four straight matchups.
- Torniero had a single in each of his first three at bats.
- Nicol and Brouillette each had two hits as Central had 11 as a team.
- Neuman scattered five hits and allowed just two earned runs. He struck out three.
- Garofalo tossed a perfect 1.1 innings to record the 15th save of his career, which ranks third all-time at CCSU.
UP NEXT
The Blue Devils and Sharks will play on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.
Follow @CCSUBlueDevils on Twitter and CCSUBlueDevils.com for updates.