Baseball Held Off by Merrimack on Saturday
The Central Connecticut baseball team fell to Merrimack, 7-5, in Northeast Conference action on Sunday in New Britain. The game was scoreless through four and a half innings before the Blue Devils scored first, but Merrimack would rally with a four-run seventh inning to take the lead.
The Blue Devils and Merrimack conclude the series on Sunday with a game at 1:00 p.m.
GAME INFORMATION | BOX SCORE
Score: CCSU 5, MERRIMACK 7
Pitching Record: W: Borsari (1-2) | L: Mozzicato (1-5) | Save: Collins (2)
Records: CCSU (6-15, 5-9 NEC), MC (11-17, 8-6 NEC)
Location: CCSU Baseball Field | New Britain, CT
KEY MOMENTS
- The starting pitchers were in control for the first half of the contest with neither allowing a runner past second base until the fourth inning. CCSU's Anthony Mozzicato allowed just two hits in his first 4.0 innings of work, while Merrimack's Tyghe Healy allowed just three.
- The Blue Devils got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fifth. Michael Torniero reached on an infield single before getting to third base on a two-out single by Gianno Merlonghi. Jeff Nicol delivered a double off the wall in right field to make it 1-0.
- Merrimack tied it in the top of the sixth. Matthew Chatelle led off with a single and advanced on a sacrifice bunt. Following a strikeout for the second out of the inning, Chatelle moved to third on a wild pitch that went off the backstop right back to the catcher who tried to throw him out at third. The throw was high and allowed Chatelle to come home to tie the score.
- In the bottom of the inning, Josh Taylor singled and moved to second following a walk. After a fly ball moved Taylor to third, Torniero hit a hard single in the hole at third base to drive in the go-ahead run.
- The Warriors would take advantage of miscues in the seventh inning to plate four runs. Merrimack had only one hit in the frame, but would draw four walks and have two hit batters to account for all the damage which came with two outs. Christian Gemelli's bases-loaded walk brought in the go-ahead run as Merrimack would take a 5-2 lead after batting.
- Central would come back with two runs in the bottom of the inning. Aidan Redahan's one-out double plated a run, before he scored on Hunter Pasqualini's single to make it a one-run game.
- The teams each traded runs in the eighth. Chatelle drove in a run in the top of the inning, before Merlonghi singled home Elliot Good to make it 6-5 after eight innings.
- Merrimack scored an insurance run in the ninth. Dawson Bryce singled and stole second before moving to third on a ground out. With two outs, Frankie Ferrentino singled to score the run and make it 7-5.
NOTES
- CCSU leads the all-time series, 8-3.
- Merlonghi had his first four-hit game, going 4-for-5 with an RBI.
- Taylor and Torniero each had two hits and a run scored. Brady Short also had two hits.
- The Blue Devils had 14 hits in the game, with eight hitters collecting at least one hit.
- Mozzicato went 6.2 innings and struck out five. He allowed just four hits, but was charged with three runs.
UP NEXT
The Blue Devils and Merrimack conclude the series on Sunday with a game at 1:00 p.m.
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