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New Britain, CT - J.P. Sportman's RBI single in the bottom of the ninth lifted Central Connecticut to a 2-1 walk-off win over Wagner in the second game of a doubleheader at the CCSU Baseball Field.

The Blue Devils improve to 16-15 and 7-7 in the Northeast Conference (NEC) while the Seahawks fall to 12-25 and 5-5 in the league.

The loss spoiled a brilliant outing by senior LHP Matt Morris (Matawan, NJ / St. John Vianney), who didn't allow an earned run over 8.0 innings of action, striking out one while scattering eight hits and a pair of walks.

CCSU's Nick Neumann (3-3) earned the win, surrendering one run while striking out five and not walking a batter over 9.0 innings in a complete game effort.

Central Connecticut posted the first major threat of the game in the bottom of the third as Bryan Rivera and Sportman each singled with one out. However, Morris induced an inning-ending double play grounder to escape unscathed.

After Neumann retired the first nine batters he faced to start the game, freshman Nick Mascelli (Clifton, NJ / Seton Hall Prep) led off the fourth with a single to right field. Neumann then got the next two outs before senior Shaun Flynn (Tabernacle, NJ / Burlington CC) legged out an infield single with Mascelli reaching third on a throwing error. However, the pair would be stranded as Neumann got the next batter looking to end the threat.

The Blue Devils would again threaten in the bottom of the sixth, loading the bases with two outs. Undaunted, Morris struck out Pat Sirois on three pitches to escape the jam while keeping the game scoreless.

Wagner finally broke through in the top of the seventh inning with the first run of the game. Flynn led off with a double before pinch runner Evan Fardella (Fr., Bartonsville, PA / Pocono Mountain East) moved to third on junior Nick Dini's (Jr., Monroe Township, NJ / Monroe Township) bunt single. Sophomore John Lynn (Wallingford, PA / Salesianum School (DE)) followed with a well-placed sacrifice fly to right to score Fardella while opening the scoring.

Unfortunately, CCSU would tie the game in the bottom part of the frame with an unearned run.  Connor Fitzsimons reached via a fielding error before moving to third on a sacrifice bunt and a Bryan Rivera single. Sportman then hit a grounder back to the Morris, who promptly fired to second for the second out of the inning before  the relay back to first pulled Tommy Mazurkiewicz (Jr., Neshanic Station, NJ / Somerville) off the bag allowing Fitzsimons to score and tie the game up at 1-1.

After the Seahawks stranded a runner in the top of the eighth, Central Connecticut loaded up the bases with two outs in the bottom part of the frame. However, Morris promptly got the final out of the frame on a grounder to short while capping his outstanding performance.

Neumann set down the side in order in the top of the ninth before the Blue Devils capped their rally in the bottom part of the inning. Rivera doubled with one out before coming around to score on Sportman's aforementioned single to right.

Sportman went 2-for-5 with two RBI to lead the way for CCSU.

Flynn was 2-for-3 with a double while Mascelli reached twice to pace a six-hit Wagner attack.

The teams will continue their series tomorrow with a single, seven-inning game at 1:00 pm.

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