Baseball Splits Doubleheader vs. Fairleigh Dickinson on Senior Day
The Central Connecticut baseball team recognized its group of seniors prior to a Northeast Conference doubleheader against Fairleigh Dickinson on Friday at CCSU Baseball Field. The Blue Devils fell short in a pitcher's duel in game one, 3-1, before rallying from an eight-run deficit to take the second game, 14-12.
The Blue Devils will begin play in the Northeast Conference championship tournament on Thursday, May 27. The Blue Devils will play in the second game at 4:00 p.m. at Dodd Stadium in Norwich, CT.
GAME INFORMATION
BOX SCORE - Game 1: CCSU 1, Fairleigh Dickinson 3
Pitching Record: W: Kosowsky (5-3) | L: Fox (5-4) | Sv: Medoro (6)
BOX SCORE - Game 2: CCSU 14, Fairleigh Dickinson 12
Pitching Record: W: Shane (1-0) | L: Baxt (2-3) | Sv: Neuman (8)
Records: CCSU (24-12, 21-9 NEC), Fairleigh Dickinson (9-26, 8-22 NEC)
Location: CCSU Baseball Field | New Britain, CT
KEY MOMENTS (Game 1)
- Mike Gruber hit a solo homerun with two outs in the second to give FDU a 1-0 lead.
- Central would tie the game in the sixth after freshman Noah Martinez drew a walk and moved to third on a double by senior Dave Matthews. Freshman Michael Torniero followed with a sac fly to bring home Martinez and tie the game, 1-1.
- The Knights regained the lead in the top of the seventh. Following a pair of singles to open the inning, CCSU would get two outs before a dropped fly ball would allow a run to come home and make it 2-1. The Knights added a run in the eighth on a solo homerun by Tom Ruscitti to make it 3-1.
- CCSU had the tying run on second base with two outs in the ninth, but the Knights got a strikeout to end the game.
KEY MOMENTS (Game 2)
- FDU opened the second inning with four straight singles and would bat around in the inning to take an 8-0 lead.
- Central would get on the board with back-to-back homeruns by Matthews, a two-run shot, and a solo job by freshman Jeff Nicol in the third inning.
- The Blue Devils tied the game in the fourth inning, batting around and plating five runs. Matthews drew a bases-loaded walk before Nicol drove in two runs with a single and sophomore Jack Nolan followed with an RBI-single of his own to tie the game, 8-8.
- After the Knights got a run in the sixth and another in the seventh, CCSU again batted around in the seventh to regain the lead. Nolan led off the inning with a solo homerun. Sophomore Dylan Sanchez singled and took advantage of an error and two wild pitches to tie the game at 10-10. Junior Jay Devito would hit a bases-loaded single to push across two more runs, before two more wild pitches would allow two more runs to score and allow CCSU to go ahead 14-10.
- FDU would get a homerun from Ruscitti in the eighth and in the ninth, the Knights took advantage of a two out error to score a run and get runners to first and second before the Blue Devils closed the door.
NUMBER TO KNOW
8 - Central trailed by eight runs (8-0) in the second inning of game two before rallying to eventually win.
NOTES
- Junior Sam Loda had two hits for CCSU in the first game. Central was limited to five hits in the game.
- Senior Brandon Fox started and went 6.2 innings in the first game. He was charged with one earned run and struck out eight, while walking none.
- Nolan went 3-for-5 with two RBIs in the second game.
- Matthews was 1-for-4 in both games, while knocking in 3 RBIs in game two.
- Nicol started at catcher in game two and went 2-for-4 with two runs and three RBIs.
- Devito was 2-for-4 with two runs, 2 RBIs in the second game. He drew a walk in game one and has reached base in all but one game this season.
- In the second game, junior Peyton Stephens tossed 3.0 innings in relief and allowed just one hit and struck out four.
- Junior Matt Shane tossed an inning to get the win, while freshman Jake Neuman threw 2.0 innings to get his eighth save of the season.
- Central dropped its first NEC series of the season with the loss in game one. It was CCSU's first NEC series loss since April 18-19 against Bryant.
UP NEXT
The Blue Devils will play at the NEC Championship on Thursday, May 27.