Baseball Has Season End in Loss to Bryant on Saturday

The Central Connecticut baseball team fell to Bryant, 10-8, on Saturday in the Northeast Conference Tournament at Dodd Stadium in Norwich, CT. The Bulldogs rallied with four runs in the top of the ninth inning to hold off the Blue Devils in an elimination contest.

The Blue Devils season comes to a close with a 29-18 record.

GAME INFORMATION | BOX SCORE
Score: #3 CCSU 8, #2 Bryant 10
Pitching Record: W: Stansky (1-0) | L: Buchek (0-3) | Sv: MacDonald (2)
Records: CCSU (29-18), Bryant (29-26)
Location: Dodd Stadium | Norwich, CT

KEY MOMENTS

• The teams traded runs in the first inning with Bryant getting a two-run homer from Carmine Petosa. CCSU came back in the bottom of the frame with a pair of doubles from senior Jay Devito and junior Noah Martinez to plate a run and make it 2-1.
• In the bottom of the third, sophomore Elliot Good led off with a walk and would move to second with two outs. Junior Dan Covino was able to take advantage of the runner in scoring position and hit a two-run homer to right field to put CCSU on top, 3-2.
• The Blue Devils doubled the lead in the fourth inning after senior Sam Loda and sophomore Joe Rios drew walks and found themselves on first and third with one out. Junior Michael Torniero would punch a single through the left side to score Loda and make it 4-2.
• The teams traded leads in the fifth and sixth innings. The Bulldogs would level the score in the fifth inning. Jake Gustin led off with a walk before Central would retire the next two batters. Shane Kelly would work a 10-pitch at bat before he would connect on a ball to straight away centerfield to make it 4-4.
• CCSU would load the bases with one out in the fifth and regained the lead following a single to shallow right field by freshman Kyle Gordon to make it 5-4.
• Bryant got things going in the sixth after a single and a walk, followed by a wild pitch to put runners in scoring position. Matt Woods delivered a single to right to tie the game. Gustin would follow with a double to drive in the go-ahead run and make it 6-5.
• CCSU opened the bottom of the sixth with a walk by Good and a one-out single by Devito. He moved to second on the throw to put runners in scoring position for Covino who would double down the line in right to drive in a paiir and put Central ahead 7-6.
• The Bulldogs' first first four batters in the ninth all reached base. Shane Kelly and John Tuccillo each drove in runs to make it 8-7 before Logan Allen and Matt Woods each drove in insurance runs with a pair of two-out singles. The Blue Devils would put a pair of runners on with no outs in the ninth, but after a pitching change all CCSU would manage was a run on a sacrifice fly to cut the deficit to 10-8.

NOTES

• Devito and Martinez were both named to the All-Tournament Team following the championship round.
• Devito finished 3-for-4 with three runs scored. He reached base for the 40th straight game with his double in the first.
• Covino had two hits and four RBIs, while Martinez and Gordon each had two hits and and RBI.
• Freshman Vincent Spizzoucco started and went 5.0 innings. He matched a career-high with seven strikeouts, but allowed four runs on three hits and six walks and did not figure in the decision.
• Central had its streak of seven straight wins in elimination games at the NEC Tournament snapped.
• The Blue Devils have an all-time record of 36-26 in the Northeast Conference Tournament.
• Central closed the season, going 18-7 since April 12.

UP NEXT

The Blue Devils season comes to a close with a 29-18 record.