BOX SCORE
New Britain, CT - Central Connecticut State used a pair of three-run frames in the third and fourth innings en route to a 7-1 victory over Wagner in the first game of a Northeast Conference (NEC) doubleheader at the CCSU Baseball Field. The Blue Devils improve to 25-18 and 14-12 in the NEC while the Seahawks fall to 20-28 and 12-14 in the league.
In the top of the second, juniors
Kevin McDonnell (Bristol, CT / Avon Old Farms) and
Brian Martutartus (Carlsbad, CA / La Costa Canyon) each drew walks before being stranded at first-and-second. In the bottom part of the frame, Pat Epps and Mitch Wells each singled through the right side with no outs. Tommy Meade then sacrificed the pair over to second-and-third before fifth-year senior
Matt Watson (Howell, NJ / Howell) clamped down and struck out Richie Tri with a nasty hook for a called third strike. Junior
Seth Boyd (Perth Amboy, NJ / Perth Amboy) then saved a run with a diving stop before getting the fleet-footed Kyle Zarotney by a step at first base.
CCSU LHP Dave Krasnowiecki and Watson then settled down with each hurler firing 1-2-3 frames in the third inning.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Blue Devils opened the scoring. With one out, Epps doubled to left center before scoring when Mitch Wells hit a double that was lost in the sun, making it 1-0. Tommy Meade followed with a two-run home run to right center, pushing the lead out to 3-0.
Wagner threatened with a two-out rally in the top of the fifth inning. Junior
Jon Lucas (Hackettstown, NJ / Hackettstown) and freshman
Gaby Ramirez (San Juan, Puerto Rico / Perkiomen (PA)) singled to right field, giving the Seahawks a first-and-third, two out opportunity. Unfortunately, Krasnowiecki induced an inning-ending grounder back to the mound, quelling the threat.
CCSU then added to the lead with a two-out rally of their own in the bottom of the fifth inning. Sean Allaire was hit by a pitch before Anthony Scialdone singled to left field. Epps then hit his NEC-leading 15th home run of the year, a three-run shot to right field, extending the lead out to 6-0.
The Blue Devils added a run in the bottom of the sixth inning on an Allaire's bunt base hit, scoring Tri, who had previously doubled.
The Green & White finally got on the board in the top of the seventh inning. Martutartus led off with a double. He advanced third to on a ground out and following a strikeout, scored on a Lucas RBI double to right center.
Martutartus was perfect in three trips to the plate, going 2-for-2 with a walk, while Lucas also rapped out a pair of safties.
Epps paced the Blue Devils, going 3-for-3 with a home run, double and three RBI while Wells also went 3-for-3.
Watson (3-5) was the tough-luck loser, striking out three while yielding seven runs on 10 hits and one walk in a complete-game 6.0 inning effort.
Krasnowiecki (6-2) collected the win, striking out five while surrendering one run on six hits and a pair of walks.
