Baseball Wins Northeast Conference Championship Over Bryant, 5-2

Central Connecticut won its seventh Northeast Conference baseball championship with a 5-2 win over top-seeded Bryant on Sunday night at Dodd Stadium in Norwich, CT. The Blue Devils came back through the elimination bracket for the second tournament in a row and used a three-run seventh inning and six innings of one-run ball by its relievers to earn the league's automatic NCAA Tournament bid. 

The NCAA Tournament field will be announced on Monday at 12:00 p.m. on ESPN2.

GAME INFORMATION
Score: CCSU 5, Bryant 2
Records: CCSU (28-13), BRY (27-14-1)
Location: Dodd Stadium | Norwich, CT
Pitching Record: W: Neuman (5-0) | L: Allegretti (0-1) | Sv: - -

KEY MOMENTS

• A triple by Liam McGill with two outs in the third inning set the plate for an RBI double by Derek Smith to give Bryant a 1-0 lead to open the game.
• Central got the tying run in the fourth after junior Sam Loda drew a walk and moved to second on a hit by pitch. He would score on a single to left by freshman Hunter Pasqualini to make it 1-1.
• The Blue Devils took the lead for good in the fifth inning. Junior Jay Devito drew a leadoff walk and would score from first on a two-out double down the right field line by senior Dave Matthews to make it 2-1.
• Central bulked its lead to four runs with a three-run seventh inning. The first two batters reached base and freshman Noah Martinez poked a single through the left side to drive in a run and make it 3-1. With runners on the corners, a balk would allow another CCSU run to come home and make it 4-1. A sacrifice fly by junior Sam Loda plated another run to make it 5-1.
• Bryant would load the bases in the top of the eighth to threaten, but freshman Jake Neuman got a groundout to end the threat. He would finish the game off in the ninth after working around an unearned run to pick up the win.

NUMBER TO KNOW

15 - Central pitchers left 15 Bryant baserunners stranded on the basepaths.

NOTES

• Senior Buddy Dewaine went 2-for-4 and was named Tournament MVP. He hit 9-for-19 with eight RBIs, two homeruns and posted a .522 on-base percentage and .842 slugging percentage.
• Neuman and junior Dylan Sabia were also named to the All-Tournament Team.
• Neuman tossed 4.2 innings and allowed just one unearned run on four hits. He walked five and struck out one. 
• Senior Andrew Braun started on two days' rest after starting against Sacred Heart on Thursday. He went 3.0 innings and allowed one run on five hits, while recording one strikeout.
• Sophomore Dylan Benton allowed two hits and no runs in 1.1 innings of relief.
• The game's start was pushed back five times to a 5:45 start after rain throughout the day. Both teams along with Dodd Stadium staff and Northeast Conference staff got the field ready for play.
• The Blue Devils are 35-24 all-time with seven titles at the Northeast Conference championship. 
• Central has advanced to the championship round through the loser's bracket for the fifth time overall and the second NEC Tournament in a row. The Blue Devils have come through the elimination bracket to win the championship on four occasions, including the last two straight tournaments
• CCSU is facing Bryant in Game 7 of the NEC championship for the second straight tournament. Central defeated the Bulldogs at the 2019 tournament as well.

UP NEXT

The Blue Devils will learn their spot in the NCAA Tournament field on Monday at 12:00 p.m. on ESPN2.