April 14, 2023
Niman Goes the Distance in Baseball's Win at Merrimack
The Central Connecticut baseball team took Friday’s Northeast Conference series opener at Merrimack, 8-2, on Friday in Andover, MA. Dominic Niman tossed a complete game and struck out 10, while CCSU hit three home runs in support of him.
The Central Connecticut baseball team took Friday's Northeast Conference series opener at Merrimack, 8-2, on Friday in Andover, MA. Dominic Niman tossed a complete game and struck out 10, while CCSU hit three home runs in support of him.
The Blue Devils and Warriors continue the series on Saturday with a 1:00 p.m. first pitch.
GAME INFORMATION | BOX SCORE
Score: CCSU 8, Merrimack 2
Pitching Record: W: Niman (7-0) | L: Butera (1-2) | Sv: - -
Records: CCSU (18-7, 13-2 NEC), MC (8-20, 5-8 NEC)
Location: Andover, MA
KEY MOMENTS
- Dan Hussey led off his second straight game with a homerun, taking a pitch over the fence in left field to make it 1-0. Hunter Pasqualini followed with a walk and stole base before moving to third on a ground out. He would score on a single by Jimmy Sullivan to double the lead.
- Merrimack would get a run off a sac fly by Alex Haba in the second inning. Niman would respond by retiring six straight batters and did not allow another hit until a two-out single in the bottom of the sixth. The Warriors wouldn't score again until a leadoff homerun by Frankie Ferrentino in the bottom of the ninth inning.
- The Blue Devils scored five runs and hit a pair of home runs in the seventh inning to give Niman all the support he would need. Elliot Good led off the frame with a walk and scored three batters later on a double by Pasqualini. With runners on first and second, Danny Rogers hit a home run to clear the bases. Derek Haughey made it back-to-back homers to make it 7-1.
- In the eighth, Good reached via an error and stole second base before scoring on a single by Brady Short to push the lead to seven runs.
NOTES
- CCSU leads the all-time series 6-1 between the schools at the Division I level. Central has won six straight meetings.
- The Blue Devils maintained their three-game cushion in the conference standings.
- Niman struck out 10 batters and did not allow a walk, while allowing just four hits in 9.0 innings.
- Niman won his seventh straight start of the year and his eighth straight decision dating back to last season. He tossed the first complete game for CCSU since Andrew Braun on March 19, 2021.
- Rogers and Haughey's homers were the first back-to-back home runs for CCSU since May 19, 2022 when Noah Martinez and Sam Loda did it against Merrimack.
- Short finished 2-for-4 in the game
- Good singled in the fourth to extend his hitting streak to 10 games.
UP NEXT
The Blue Devils and Warriors continue the series on Saturday with a 1:00 p.m. first pitch.
Follow @CCSUBlueDevils on Twitter and CCSUBlueDevils.com for updates.
