Baseball Falls in Extra Innings in Opener at Norfolk State

The Central Connecticut State baseball team fell to Norfolk State in extra innings on Friday in the opening game of their weekend NEC series. The Spartans loaded the bases in the 10^th inning and won, 10-9, on a two-out single.

GAME INFORMATION | BOX SCORE
Score: CENTRAL CONNECTICUT 9, NORFOLK STATE 10 (10 innings)
Pitching Record: W:  Samboy (1-0) | L:  Kerstetter (1-1) | Save: - -
Records: CCSU (4-4, 3-1 NEC), NSU (3-13,  1-3 NEC)
Location: Marty Miller Field | Norfolk, VA

KEY MOMENTS

• The teams traded runs in the first inning. Gianno Merlonghi was hit by a pitch to lead off for CCSU. He would steal second base before scoring on a two-out error to make it 1-0. NSU tied the game in the bottom of the inning after back-to-back singles put runners on the corners before a wild pitch allowed a run to score.
• Back-to-back walks opened the Central third inning before a groundout put the runners in scoring position. Frankie Ferrentino drove in Chris Barkasy with a sacrifice fly to right field.
• In the third inning he Spartans had a single and double, back-to-back, with one out. After an infield fly, Josiah Harrison singled to right-center to plate two runs and make it 3-2.
• CCSU would push across four runs in the fifth inning. Chris Barkasy led off with a single and Merlonghi hit a homerun to centerfield to make it 4-3 to start the inning. Following an error and a hit by pitch, a sacrifice bunt would move two runners into scoring position. Michael Quiros singled in a run and Matt Graziose hit a sacrifice fly to make it 6-3.
• After Justin Journette hit a solo homerun in the bottom of the sixth inning, Ferrentino led off the seventh inning with a double for CCSU and he moved to third on a passed ball before Quiros drove him in with a sacrifice fly to make it 7-4.
• The Spartans tied the game in the bottom of the seventh. Thomas Ealey tripled in a pair of runs before scoring on a sac fly by Cameron Mazell to tie it at 7-7.
• Merlonghi and Antonio Ducatelli led off the top of the eighth with a single and walk, respectively. With the bases loaded, the Central runners were in motion and Merlonghi was credited with a steal of home. Ducatelli would cross home on a passed ball to make it 9-7, CCSU.
• NSU would rally with runs in the eighth and ninth innings. After putting runners on second and third with one out in the bottom of the eighth the Spartans were  able to manage one unearned run off Richie Kerstetter to make it 9-8. In the ninth inning, Journette led off with a single and moved to third on a sacrifice and another single before scoring on a fly ball to tie the game, 9-9.
• Norfolk State would have the bases-loaded in the bottom of the 10^th inning. After a strikeout marked the second out, Mazell would beat out a single to drive in the winning run, 10-9.

NOTES

• Merlonghi reached base four times, including two hits. He hit his first homerun of the season and drove in two runs.
• Quiros was 2-for-4 and drove in two runs for the second straight game.
• Central was hampered by 12 runners left on base, while NSU had just seven.
• Norfolk State's 19 hits were a season-high for a CCSU opponent.
• CCSU leads the all-time series, 7-3, but has fallen in the past two meetings.

UP NEXT

• The teams continue the series Saturday at 1:00 p.m.

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