Game One Boxscore
Game Two Boxscore

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Sophomore starting pitcher Jim Fuller (Marlborough, Mass.) struck out 12 of the 25 batters he faced over six innings of work on Saturday afternoon to lead the Southern Connecticut State University baseball team past the elements and past Bentley by a 12-3 score in the second game of a Northeast-10 doubleheader. The Owls swept the twin bill, which was plagued by low temperatures and howling winds at The Ballpark at SCSU, with a 10-2 triumph in the first game. Junior center fielder Karl Derbacher (Northford, Conn.) drove home three runs on the day for SCSU. With the wins, SCSU improves to 12-10 (2-1 NE-10), while Bentley falls to 8-16 (3-6 NE-10).

The Owls opened the scoring in the first game with a run in the bottom of the first inning to take a lead they would never relinquish. Diaz reached on an infield single, stole second and scored the game's first run on a double to right-center field by junior catcher Kevin Bowerman (West Haven, Conn.).

SCSU extended the lead to 3-0 with two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Freshman left fielder Andrew Babb (Hopkinton, Mass.) led off with a single through the right side and moved to second on an infield single by senior designated hitter Billy Hite (Shelton, Conn.). Two batters later, junior third baseman Chris Barile (Holbrook, N.Y.) loaded the bases with an infield single to third base. Sophomore second baseman Greg Malen (Stamford, Conn.) would later reach base and drive home Babb with an RBI fielder's choice. Hite would also score on the play as the Bentley shortstop threw the ball away.

The Owls would tack on two more runs in the bottom of the fifth to make it 5-0. With two outs, Hite and junior first baseman Mo Davidson (Winsted, Conn.) worked back-to-back walks. Barile then reached on a throwing error by the shortstop which allowed Hite to score and Davidson to move to third. Davidson later scored on a wild pith.

Bentley showed signs of life with two runs in the top of the sixth to cut the deficit to 5-2. Garrett Stenhouse led off with a walk and moved to second on a single to right field by Chris Hardy. James Roche followed with a single to left-center which drove home Stenhouse and moved Hardy to third. Hardy moved to third on a wild pitch and later scored on a second wild pitch.

SCSU broke the game open with four runs in the bottom of the seventh to make it a 9-2 game. Barile had the big blow of the inning with an RBI single to centerfield. Also driving in runs in the frame were Bowerman, with a hit by pitch, and Derbacher, with a walk. Diaz scored the fourth run of the inning on a wild pitch.

The Owls created the 10-2 final with a run in the bottom of the eighth. Davidson reached on a one-out, infield single, moved to second on a groundout and scored on a single to left by senior right fielder Paul Izzo (Cohoes, N.Y.).

Senior Nick Carlucci (Franklin, Mass.) got the start on the hill and earned the victory (2-2) for SCSU. Over five innings, he gave up one run on three hits, walked four and struck out six. Freshman Bryce Bjorklund (Branford, Conn.) pitched the final four innings to earn his second save of the campaign. He surrendered one run on three hits, walked one, threw a pair of wild pitches and struck out five.

Brett Fistes started on the rubber for Bentley and took the loss (0-3). Over five innings, he gave up five runs (three earned) on seven hits, walked two, hit a batter, threw a wild pitch and struck out seven.

It was Bentley which struck first in the day's second game, with a run in the top of the second inning. Hardy knocked a one-out single through the right side, took second and third on wild pitches and later scored when Ross Curley reached on a throwing error by Malen at third base.

SCSU would take the lead for good with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second. Freshman catcher Nick DeProspo (Worcester, Mass.) reached second base on a throwing error by the third baseman. After Davidson worked a walk, Izzo singled through the right side to drive home DeProspo and push Davidson to third. Davidson would later score to give the Owls the lead when a failed pickoff attempt sailed out of play on the third-base side.

The Owls extended the lead to 5-1 with three runs in the bottom of the third. Derbacher delivered the ringing blow of the inning with a two-run single back through the box. DeProspo also drove in a run in the frame with an RBI fielder's choice.

SCSU made it three innings in a row with multiple runs as they scored twice in the fourth to make it a 7-1 contest. Malen led off and reached second on a throwing error by the third baseman. Diaz followed with a single up the middle to score Malen and moved to second on a fielding error in center field. Diaz moved to third on Bowerman's bunt single up the first-base line and scored when the Bentley pitcher threw the ball away attempting to cut down Bowerman at first.

The Owls tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the seventh to extend the lead to 10-1. In the inning, Babb drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to right, Davidson knocked home a run with a single to left and DeProspo scored on a bunt.

SCSU would tally its final two runs in the bottom of the eighth. Bowerman reached on a fielder's choice and moved to third on a Derbacher double to left-center. Two batters later, senior pinch-hitter Joe Kahlden (Norwalk, Conn.) doubled down the left-field line to drive home both runs.

Bentley created the 12-3 final with a pair of runs in the top of the ninth. Chris Stewart reached on a fielder's choice and moved to second on a single up the middle by Curley. Stewart moved to third on a single to right by Stenhouse and came into score when Izzo misplayed the ball in right field. Jason Cusumano followed with a single to load the bases and Ricardo Sullivan then singled to center field to drive home Curley.

Fuller got the start and the victory (4-1) on the mound for SCSU in the second game. Over six innings, he surrendered one unearned run on one hit, walked two, threw a pair of wild pitches and struck out 12. Junior Mike Connors (Wallingford, Conn.) threw the final three innings out of the bullpen to earn his first save of the season. He gave up two unearned runs on four hits, hit a batter and struck out one.

Tim Cadran started on the hill and took the loss (3-3) for Bentley in the nightcap. Over four innings, he gave up seven runs (three earned) on seven hits, walked one and struck out five.

The two teams combined for 13 errors in the frigid conditions of the day's second game.

The Owls return to action on Sunday, March 30, when they make the return trip to Bentley for a Northeast-10 contest. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. at DeFelice Field in Waltham, Mass. The game had originally scheduled for a 1 p.m. first pitch.