Central Connecticut State Reclaims Late Lead to Defeat Bethune-Cookman
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - The Bethune-Cookman Wildcats (12-12) rallied through the middle innings, after falling behind to Central Connecticut State (4-4) early. However, the Blue Devils pushed back and held on for the 8-6 win behind the closeout pitching of Anthony Mannuccia, Saturday at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.
The Blue Devils pushed the initial run across in the top of the first, scoring on a two-out Anthony Turgeon RBI single through the left side. CCSU added three more in the top of the second, opening with Connor Fitzsimons scoring on wild pitch after advancing on another. Two runs came in on J.P. Sportman’s triple to center field, including Sportman, due to an error in the Wildcats’ outfield.
The Wildcats responded in the bottom half of the inning to climb back in the game. A one-out walk for Eros Modena set the table for the score and Bryant Munoz took a second-pitch RBI triple to the right center wall for the Wildcats first score. Jake Welch brought Munoz in on an RBI groundout to narrow the deficit to 4-2.
In response, the Blue Devils produced another big inning, back-to-back singles and a pair of stolen bases gave Bryan Rivera the opportunity to score as Jeff Osak reached on an error in the top of the third. Fitzsimons followed, scoring on an RBI groundout, and pushing the CCSU lead to 6-2.
Through the middle innings, the Wildcats made their move, starting with a home plate theft by Modena, after reaching on a two-out single in the fourth.
The scoring continued into the bottom of the fifth as right fielder Josh Johnson took a leadoff first-pitch single into shallow center field. He was quick to touch home, as catcher Zach Olszewski tripled to right center. First baseman Eric Sams brought Olszewski in on an RBI groundout and Modena brought the game to a 6-6 tie with a sacrifice bunt to bring in Matt Noble.
After a tough start, reliever Gabriel Hernandez teamed up with Christopher Waltermire to shut the Blue Devils down for four full frames, but an eighth-inning jam proved costly, as CCSU pushed two additional runners across for the 8-6 advantage.
Holding a two-run lead, the Blue Devils went to reliever Mannuccia, who pitched two shutout innings, allowing one hit and striking out four, collecting his first save of the season. Late reliever Nick Boyd (1-0) earned the win, pitching two innings. Responsible for the go-ahead runner, Waltermire (1-3) takes the loss for B-CU.
At the plate, Olszewski had a solid day, leading the team with 3-for-5 batting, one RBI and one run scored. Munoz went 2-for-3 with one RBI and a run scored.
The Wildcats and Blue Devils return to Jackie Robinson Ballpark on Sunday at Noon for the series final. CCSU holds a 2-0 advantage in the series.
For complete story, visit www.bcuathletics.com
Norfolk State splits pair with Maryland Eastern Shore
NORFOLK, Va. – Norfolk State rebounded from a 9-3 loss in game 1 with a solid pitching effort from Stephen Butt and Devin Hemmerich to take game 2, 3-1 against Maryland Eastern Shore on Saturday afternoon at Marty L. Miller Field.
The Spartans are now 5-16 overall and 2-3 in the MEAC. UMES is now 4-13, 2-3.
Butt (1-1) earned his first win as a Spartan in the nightcap with four innings of one-run ball. Hemmerich pitched the final three innings without allowing a base runner to pick up his second save of the year.
NSU scored two runs thanks to a pair of hits and two two-out Hawk errors in the bottom of the first. With two out and runners on first and second, Cody Ellis laid down a nice bunt up the third base line. Ellis beat out the throw to first for an infield hit, and the throw by UMES third baseman Connor Breslin was wild, allowing Justin Lee to score. A throwing error then allowed Zach Markel to score from third with the second run of the frame.
The Hawks finally got to Butt in the top of the third on Byron Campbell’s two-out RBI single, cutting their deficit in half. But NSU picked up insurance in the bottom of the fourth on Lee’s two-out RBI single, taking a 3-1 lead.
The Spartans got some clutch pitching from Hemmerich to remain in the lead. Joshua James and Stephen Bull led off the top of the fifth with consecutive singles off Butt, and Hemmerich came in from the bullpen. Markel cut down James at home on a fielder’s choice grounder for the first out of the inning. Hemmerich then got Campbell and Justin Dattilo to bounce into fielder’s choices to end the threat.
Hemmerich finished it off by retiring the Hawks in order in both the sixth and seventh innings to help the Spartans earn their split.
Butt allowed five hits and one run in four innings, striking out four.
Lee was 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI in game 2 for the Spartans.
Game 1 was a tight, low-scoring affair until the Hawks scored five runs on six hits to break a 2-all tie in the top of the eighth. Greg Turlik had the first blow of the inning, a tie-breaking two-run homer with one out off of NSU reliever Jeff Di Fulgo, the third Spartan pitcher of the game. UMES wasn’t done there, adding three more runs in the frame on two-out doubles by Brock Long and Bull.
UMES led 2-0 after two innings thanks to RBI singles by Dattilo and James. NSU, which was held without a hit or base runner through three innings, chipped away and tied it with single runs in the fifth and sixth. Ellis singled and scored on a wild pitch in the fifth, then Ross Cardwell tie it with an RBI single in the bottom of the sixth.
But that was all the Spartans could manage off UMES freshman right hander Jesse Stinnett (2-3). He pitched a complete game, allowing just six hits and three runs, only two of which were earned. He walked none, hit one and struck out six.
Di Fulgo (0-2) took the loss, allowing seven runs (five earned) in one-plus inning of work.
Seven different Hawks had two hits each as UMES out-hit NSU 16-8 in the opener. Ellis (2-for-4) was the only Spartan with more than one hit in game 1. He and Lee both had three hits on the afternoon for the Spartans.
The teams conclude their series Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for noon.
For complete story, visit www.nsuspartans.com or www.umeshawks.com
Hornets cruise in opener, drop second game for split with Eagles
DOVER, Del. --- Delaware State won handily in the first game, but suffered a crushing loss in the nightcap of a MEAC North doubleheader with Coppin State at Soldier Field today.
DJ Miller had a home run, triple and three runs batted in; and Ron Farley collected three hits and three RBI to lead the Hornets to a 16-1 win in the opener. The game was called after Coppin State batted in the seventh inning due to the mercy rule.
Coppin State catcher William Brown smacked a three-run homer with two outs in the top of the seventh inning to give the Eagles a 7-6 win in the seven-inning nightcap.
In the opener, the Hornets scored seven runs in the first inning, three in the second and six in the third to blow the game open.
Aaron Nardone and Cameron Cecil had two-run doubles, while Mike Alexander, Farley and Hassan Evans had run-scoring singles in the first inning for the Hornets.
In the second inning, Miller tripled in a run and Alexander singled in his second run of the game. Charles Dailey also had a run-scoring single in the second.
The third inning was highlighted by Miller’s first home run of the season, a two-run shot over the centerfield fence. Farley also had a two-run single in the third.
Nardone was three-for-three with a single, double and triple in the opener. The triple was his 17th at DSU, tops on the team’s all-time list.
Starter Matt McClain went the distance in the opener for the Hornets to improve to 4-0 this season. McClain allowed seven hits and one run, while striking out seven without a walk in seven innings. He has 25 strikeouts and just one walk in 36 innings this season.
In the nightcap, Delaware State led 6-4 when Brown blasted a three-run shot over the left field fence off Hornet reliever Chris Gonzalez (1-1) with two outs and two strikes in the top of the seventh inning to give Coppin State a 7-6 lead.
The Hornets had the bases loaded with one out in the bottom of the seventh, but Coppin State reliever and winning pitcher Michael Roberts got the second out on a force at home and struck out Farley to end the game.
Delaware State grabbed a 6-4 lead by scoring two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Miller led off the fifth with a triple and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Cecil. David Kimbrough also singled in a run in the inning to give the Hornets a two-run lead.
DSU opened the scoring when Farley doubled home two runs in the bottom of the first inning.
Miller was four-for-four with a triple and three singles in the nightcap. He was six-for-eight in the doubleheader to raise his season average to .472.
Farley was four-for-eight with five runs batted in, while Nardone was four-for-five with two RBI in the two games.
Delaware State is now 11-7 overall and 3-2 in the MEAC. Coppin State stands at 5-12 and 3-2.
The Hornets and Eagles will wrap up the series with a single, nine-inning game on Sunday at Soldier Field. The first pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
For complete story, visit www.dsuhornets.com or www.coppinstatesports.com
Florida A&M and North Carolina Central earn doubleheader split
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Florida A&M University Rattler Baseball team split a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference doubleheader with visiting North Carolina Central Saturday afternoon at Moore-Kittles Field, winning the opener, 13-5, before dropping the nightcap, 6-5 in extra innings.
FAMU (7-14, 4-4 in MEAC) unleashed an 18-hit attack in the first game, led by Bennie Robinson, Marlon Gibbs and Jared Walker with three hits and a run batted in each, along with two hits apiece by Michael Birdsong, Kendal Weeks and Jeremy Barlow. Weeks drove in a team-high three runs, while Birdsong drove in another.
The Rattlers led 3-0 in the fifth before scoring four runs to forge a 7-0 lead, but NCCU (9-13, 6-5 in MEAC) scored four runs in the sixth to slice the FAMU margin to 7-4.
FAMU picked up two runs in the bottom of the sixth to extend their edge to 9-4, then the Eagles scored a single run in the seventh to close to 9-5, before the Rattlers rallied for four runs in the bottom of the eighth to salt away the game.
FAMU starting pitcher Chase Jarrell (2-2) got the win, allowing four runs on six hits in six innings with a pair of strikeouts, with reliever Jordan Montague working the final three innings to log his first save. Alex Dandridge (0-4) took the loss for Central.
Zach Lee, Carlos Ortiz and Jake Cagle led NCCU with two hits each.
@ In Game Two, Central built an early lead forcing FAMU to play catch up the entire game, leading 3-0 after scoring two runs in the top of the fourth, before the Rattlers began their climb back into contention with a run in the bottom of the fourth for a 3-1 game.
NCCU scored a single run in the fifth for a 4-1 lead, before the Rattlers scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh to force extra innings, keyed by Bennie Robinson’s two-run double that tied the game at 4-4.
Central scored two runs in the ninth to take the lead for good at 6-4, although FAMU did rally in the bottom of the frame, plating a run on Devin Perry’s RBI single for the 6-5 final.
Kyle Shields (2-0) was the winning pitcher for NCCU, working three innings in relief of starter Terry McNabb, while Brandon Fleming (0-2) took the loss for FAMU, allowing the two ninth inning runs, and three hits with two strikeouts in two innings of work.
Jeremy Barlow, Jared Walker, Blake Quillin and Devin Perry each had two hits for FAMU, while Carter Williamson and James Dey each had two hits to lead NCCU.
For complete story, visit www.famuathletics.com or www.nccueaglepride.com