Baseball Falls in Series Opener to LIU

The Central Connecticut State baseball team fell in eight innings to LIU on Friday in the opening game of their NEC weekend series by an 18-8 count. The game had 11 extra-base hits, including six homeruns, and a combined 25 hits by the two squads.

GAME INFORMATION | BOX SCORE
Score: CENTRAL CONNECTICUT 8, LIU 18 (8 innings)
Pitching Record: W:  Finarelli (3-2) | L:  Kerstetter (1-2) | Save: - -
Records: CCSU (5-5, 4-2 NEC), LIU (4-11, 4-2 NEC)
Location: CCSU Baseball Field | New Britain, CT

KEY MOMENTS

• LIU loaded the bases in each of the first two innings. The Sharks would come away empty-handed after loading the bases in the first, but Joseph Durso opened the second inning with a solo homerun. With the bases loaded, Ryan Rivera walked to force in a run and make it 2-0.
• The Sharks tacked on three runs on a pair of homers in the third. Nick Matson led off with a solo homerun and Noah Sorenson hit a two-run homer to make it 5-0.
• Matt McGurk singled in a run in the fourth to push the lead to six runs.
• In the sixth inning, Gianno Merlonghi led off with a single and back-to-back hit batters would load the bases. A wild pitch would allow the first CCSU run to score before Louis Jordan hit an RBI-groundout to make it 6-2.
• LIU would push across seven runs in the top of the seventh inning. The Sharks took advantage of a pair of Central errors, but Mike Polubinski and Nick Matson each drove in a run and Noah Sorenson would double in a pair to push the lead to 13-2
• Matt Graziose homered to open the CCSU bottom of the seventh. A double by Ryan Scialabba and two walks would load the bases with one out. Frankie Ferrentino was hit by a pitch to force in a run before three straight hits by Central. Jordan would double in two runs, followed by an RBI-single by Chris Barkasy. Brandon O'Neill followed with a bases-clearing double to drive in a pair and make it 13-8.
• LIU would score five runs in the eighth inning to push its lead back to double-figures. Elijah Fairchild hit a sacrifice fly to drive in a run, which was followed by Matson's second homerun. With two outs, LIU put two runners on and Cord Dobrinski hit a three-run homerun to make it 18-8.

NOTES

• Merlonghi had three hits and scored two runs.
• Jordan drove in three runs and scored another.
• Graziose hit his second homerun of the season.
• O'Neill had two hits.
• CCSU leads the all-time series, 60-36

UP NEXT

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

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