By Chris McLaughlin
After winning the first three games of the series, the CCSU baseball team couldn’t pull off a sweep over Bryant after suffering a 9-3 loss Sunday March 20.
For the third time in four games Bryant (9-12) was able to score first. This time the Blue Devils (7-8-1) couldn’t rally back. Bryant scored seven runs in the first four innings, including five of off CCSU starter Tom Coughlin, forcing the Blue Devils to play from behind throughout. The Blue Devils had opportunities to chip away at the lead, but couldn’t capitalize.
“Any time you win the first three you want to take advantage, but they’re an experienced team that has won a lot of games and they fought hard and didn’t quit on the weekend,” said Head Coach Charlie Hickey. “It was a good weekend but not great. We had opportunities in this one, but couldn’t take advantage. We’re still finding out about ourselves.”
After losing the first three Bryant was determined not to allow CCSU to complete the sweep and came out swinging. A lead-off double put a runner in scoring position and was quickly driven in by David Soltis. Further damage was prevented as Coughlin got out of the inning giving up just the one run.
As they had been doing all weekend, the Blue Devils responded in the bottom of the first with a Mitch Wells RBI single. Wells attempted to stretch it into a double and was thrown out at second, but not before the run crossed the plate.
Though the game was knotted up, Bryant hitters made sure it didn’t stay that way. In the second inning, the Bulldogs put two more on the board and followed up with one more in the third and three in the fourth.
“We would have liked to have gotten better starting pitching so we could get into the ball game instead of being back on our heels. I think we were trying to score four runs at a time instead of just one or two,” said Hickey.
Coughlin was pulled in the fourth after giving up a lead-off single, so only one of the runs in the inning was his. Despite the rough start for Coughlin, Hickey knows it’s a long season and his arm will be valuable down the line.
“He was just rushing a lot,” said Hickey. “His mechanics were off and he got frustrated. He’ll get another opportunity though; he’s an important part of our future.”
After going down 7-1 the Blue Devils showed some life in the bottom of the fourth. A J.P. Sportman single plated Dylan DelaCruz and a Danny Hickey double drove in Sportman. The Blue Devils picked up two runs on three hits in the inning and cut into the six run lead.
“We’re getting a lot from the young kids,” said Hickey “[Dylan] DelaCruz and [J.P.] Sportman have showed they can play, we just need to string together more consistent at-bats.”
The Blue Devils continued to put players on base, but couldn’t drive them in. After the fourth, CCSU wouldn’t score another run while Bryant tacked on two more increasing its lead.
In the seventh the Blue Devils put the first two hitters on base, causing Bryant to go with another pitcher. The Bulldogs brought in a right handed submarine style pitcher and he baffled the Blue Devils. He caused Pat Epps to harmlessly pop-up to third and forced a double play to end the inning and the Blue Devils’ last threat. He retired the next six batters he faced and despite the score, picked up the three-inning save.
“That type of delivery can be effective,” said Hickey. “To his credit he came in and threw strikes and got outs. I still think we were trying for to much trying to get four runs with every hit and that’s not what we needed to do.”
The loss was the first conference loss for the Blue Devils. The Blue Devils are currently 5-3 in the Northeast Conference and are sitting tied in third place with Monmouth in the standings, following back-to-back losses at Wagner.
The Blue Devils baseball team is continuing a road stint, through April 3, before returning for a five game home stand beginning Wed. April 6 at 3 p.m. against Iona.
[Front page header photo courtesy of Steve McLaughlin and ccsubluedevils.com.]