Baseball Falls at Central Arkansas in Season-Opener; Redahan, Haker Homer

The Central Connecticut baseball team came up short in its season-opener at Central Arkansas, falling 4-3 on Friday night in Conway, AR. The Blue Devils got home runs from Aidan Redahan and Jackson Haker.

GAME INFORMATION | BOX SCORE

Score:  CENTRAL CONNECTICUT 3, CENTRAL ARKANSAS 4
Pitching Record: W: Alexander (1-0) | L: Kerstetter (0-1) | Save:  - - 
Records: CCSU (0-1,  0-0 NEC), UCA (4-4, 0-0 Atlantic Sun)
Location: Bear Field | Conway, AR

KEY MOMENTS

• After a pair of singles and a wild pitch led to the Bears opening the scoring a run in the bottom of the second, CCSU would tie the score in the top of the fourth. Aidan Redahan got Central on the board with a one-out homerun to right field to make it 1-1.
• UCA would retake the lead with two runs in the bottom of the frame. The first two runners reached base, before a hard hit grounder led to a miscue that allowed Bryce Cermenelli  to score. With runners on first and third, a balk would force in another run to make it 3-1.
• CCSU threatened in the top of the fifth, after a pair of singles by Jackson Haker and Gabe Pitts  put runners on first and second with one out. Following a line out, Brady Short drew a walk to load the bases. UCA's Charlie Christensen worked out of the jam by fielding a comebacker and getting the force out at home to end the inning.
• The Blue Devils would plate a pair in the seventh to tie the game. Haker led off the frame with a drive to right centerfield for his first homerun at CCSU, making it 3-2. Pitts would follow with a one-out triple off the right field wall. Kyle Gordon drove in the tying run with an infield single before UCA would make a pitching change to avoid further damage.
• The Bears pushed across a run in the eighth inning to take the lead. After loading the bases with nobody out, Owen Tracy singled to left field to drive in the go-ahead run. The Bears would leave the bases loaded, but managed to get the winning run.

NOTES

• Drew Munn started for CCSU and went 5.0 innings. He allowed just one earned run on five hits and had four strikeouts.
• Pitts reached base three times and had two hits.
• Haker had two hits, scoring a run with an RBI.
• Short, Gianno Merlonghi and Redahan each had a hit at the top of the CCSU lineup.
• The programs are meeting for the first time this weekendf.

UP NEXT

• The teams continue the series on Saturday at 5:00 p.m. EST.

Follow @CCSUBlueDevils on Twitter and CCSUBlueDevils.com for updates.