Boxscore

WORCESTER, Mass. – Junior center fielder Karl Derbacher (Northford, Conn.) hit 3-for-4 with a double, a triple, an RBI and three runs scored on Friday afternoon to lead the Southern Connecticut State University baseball team to an 11-3 road victory over Assumption in Northeast-10 Conference play at Rocheleau Field. Junior first baseman Mo Davidson (Winsted, Conn.) went 1-for-5, drove in two runs and scored another in the win for SCSU. With the victory, SCSU improves to 20-15 (10-6 NE-10), while Assumption falls to 12-23 (5-16 NE-10) with the loss.

Assumption got on the scoreboard first with a run in the bottom of the third inning. Chris DeSimone led off, was hit by a pitch and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. He then went to third on a groundout before Mike DiReda drove home the first run of the game with a single back up the middle.

The Greyhounds extended the lead to 2-0 with a run in the bottom of the fourth. Jeff Barbale led off with a walk and moved to second on an infield single by Derek Migrants. After a sacrifice bunt by Devin Murphy, DeSimone provided an RBI groundout to third base to drive home Barbale.

Assumption again scored a single run in the bottom of the fifth to make it 3-0. Mike Baillargeon led off with a double to left field and came around to score an unearned run when Barbale reached on a fielder error by SCSU junior second baseman Kevin Bowerman (West Haven, Conn.).

SCSU rallied to take the lead for good with four runs in the top of the sixth. Sophomore shortstop Greg Malen (Stamford, Conn.) led off with a double down the left field line and moved to third on an infield single by Bowerman. Davidson then grounded out to second base to push Bowerman to second and drive home Malen with SCSU's first run of the game. Derbacher followed with a double down the left-field line to drive in Bowerman and cut the lead to 4-2. Senior designated hitter Anthony Fiorillo (New Haven, Conn.) then singled to left field on a play which saw Derbacher score and Fiorillo end up at third base as the Assumption defense threw the ball around errantly. Freshman left fielder Andrew Babb (Hopkinton, Mass.) capped the inning when he bounced into an RBI fielder's choice which scored Fiorillo with the go-ahead run.

The Owls tacked on an insurance run in the top of the eighth to make it 5-3. With one out, Derbacher tripled to the gap in left-center field and scored when Fiorillo followed with a single down the left-field line.

SCSU broke the game open with six runs in the top of the ninth. Bowerman, Davidson, senior right fielder Paul Izzo (Cohoes, N.Y.) and freshman catcher Nick DeProspo (Worcester, Mass.) each drove home a run in the frame.

Senior Nick Carlucci (Franklin, Mass.) started on the mound and picked up the win (4-2) for SCSU. Over seven innings, he gave up three runs (two earned) on five hits, walked three, hit five batters and struck out four. Junior Brian Lazor (Hewitt, N.J.) pitched a scoreless final two innings, gave up one hit, walked one and struck out two to notch his first save of the season.

Brett Kulhawik started on the hill and took the loss (1-3) for Assumption. Over 5.1 innings, he gave up four runs (three earned) on six hits, walked one, hit a batter and struck out two.

The Owls return to action on Saturday, April 19, when they travel to St. Rose for a Northeast-10 Conference doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m. at Bleecker Stadium in Albany, N.Y.