Baseball Topped by Quinnipiac on Friday

Quinnipiac only scored in two innings, but it was enough to overtake Central Connecticut, 9-6, in baseball action on Friday at CCSU Baseball Field. CCSU scored five runs in the first two innings, but QU used a six-run seventh inning to take the lead late and hold on.

GAME INFORMATION | BOX SCORE

Score: CENTRAL CONNECTICUT 6, QUINNIPIAC 9
Pitching Record: W: Rubayo (3-1) | L: Winn, Jr. (2-1) | Save: Hutchinson (3)
Records: CCSU (22-6), QU (21-14-1)
Location: CCSU Baseball Field | New Britain, CT

KEY MOMENTS

• The Blue Devils put the first two base runners on in the bottom of the first, and after back-to-back outs were recorded Bo Yaworski skied a ball to short left field that fell between fielders and scored both Brady Short and Gianno Merlonghi for the 2-0 lead. Yaworski came around to score two pitches later when Jackson Haker looped a ball in to right center field.
• Merlonghi homered to nearly straight away centerfield in the bottom of the second and pushed the CCSU lead to 5-0
• Quinnipiac scored three times in the top of the third, an RBI single from Sean McCullogh and RBI groundouts from CJ Willis and Sebastian Mueller, to make it a 5-3 game.
• Central tacked on a run on the third following consecutive singles to open the inning. The runners advanced a base on a wild pitch, before Gabe Pitts scored Antonio Ducatelli with a ground out to second to extend the lead to 6-3
• Drew Munn started for CCSU and tossed 6.0 solid innings. He got help defensively when Merlonghi flashed leather in the fourth inning, making a diving catch on a sinking line drive from Jackson Bryant to end the inning. Munn induced a one-out line drive to Yaworski for an inning ending double play in the top of the sixth before he exited the game.
• The Blue Devils went to their bullpen in the seventh inning and the Bobcats would capitalize. After a walk to open the frame, Johnny Knox hit a two-run homer to centerfield to draw Quinnipiac within a run, 6-5. The Bobcats strung three singles in the next four at-bats to tie the game, and took the lead on an Alex Irizarry sac fly. All told, the six Bobcats crossed the plate in the seventh, for a 9-6 lead.
• The Bobcats bullpen limited CCSU to just three hits after the third inning and only two runners reached second base.

NOTES

• Merlonghi finished 3-for-5 with two runs and two RBIs.
• Haker and Redahan each added two hits.
• Yaworski had two RBIs and Short scored two runs.
• Munn tossed 6.0 innings, scattering five hits. He was charged with three runs and struck out four.
• Central has collected 10+ hits in 22 straight games as a team.
• CCSU is 43-26 all-time against Quinnipiac

UP NEXT

• The Blue Devils and Bobcats will play on Saturday at 12:00 p.m. at Quinnipiac.

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