Box Score
New Britain, Conn. - A pair of solo home runs in the eighth and ninth innings proved to be the foil to an otherwise strong effort by the Long Island University baseball team as the Blackbirds dropped a gut-wrenching 2-1 decision at Central Connecticut State in the opener of the final Northeast Conference series of the season. Junior
Adam Sauter made one bad pitch all day – one that spoiled a fine performance and helped the Blue Devils on their way to a walk-off win.
With the score tied 1-1 in the bottom of the ninth, Central Connecticut State leftfielder Pat Epps hit reliever
Evan Zerff’s 1-0 offering off the top of the fence and into the scoreboard in left-center field. Zerff had entered the game with one out in the eighth and got a pair of strikeouts to end the inning.
Sauter took a shutout into the eighth with Long Island leading 1-0, but gave up a leadoff home run to nine-hole hitting catcher Danny Hickey to tie the game. After retiring Sean Miller-Jones on a flyout, Sauter was removed in favor of Zerff. In 7 1/3 innings, Sauter allowed just the one run on seven hits. He struck out five without allowing a walk.
Long Island got on the board in the first when centerfielder
Sam Sciamarelli hit a one-out double and moved to third on a two-out single by shortstop
Drew Walsh. Designated hitter
Greg DeSantis followed with a single to give the Blackbirds a 1-0 lead.
Zerff fell to 3-3 with the loss while Donny White threw a 1-2-3 ninth to pick up the win, improving to 3-1.
Extra bases. Long Island stranded 10 runners during the game… DeSantis was picked off twice but stole his 45th career base, which is two shy of James Jones’ Long Island record… Central’s Sean Allaire, the NEC’s leading hitter who entered the game batting .447, went 2-for-4. His two hits came on a bloop double in third and a hard-hit line drive that hit Long Island first baseman
Tito Marrero right in the glove. Marrero could not hold on and dropped the ball… Marrero finished 2-for-4 and Walsh went 2-for-3… The loss eliminated the Blackbirds from playoff contention and dropped them to 13-40 (10-19 NEC). The Blue Devils improved to 27-19 (16-13 NEC)… The teams will continue their series on Saturday, May 22 with a doubleheader beginning at noon.