Boxscore

RINDGE, N.H. – Senior designated hitter Anthony Fiorillo (New Haven, Conn.) drove in a pair of runs on Thursday night, but the third-seeded Southern Connecticut State University baseball team was defeated, 3-2, by fourth-seeded Caldwell in NCAA Northeast Regional play at Dr. Pappas Field. A solo homerun by Caldwell's Gabriel Molina in the top of the sixth inning proved to be the difference in the game. With the loss, SCSU falls to 36-18 and faces elimination against top-seeded Franklin Pierce on Friday, while Caldwell improves to 33-17 with the win.

Sophomore starter Jim Fuller (Marlborough, Mass.) worked into and then out of trouble on the mound for SCSU in the top of the third inning. With one out, an error, a single and a walk loaded the bases for the heart of the Caldwell order. However, Fuller struck out Chris Chiarappa and got Adric Saxon to bounce into a force out at third to escape the inning unharmed.

The Owls opened the scoring with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the third. Junior first baseman Mo Davidson (Winsted, Conn.) led off, grounded a single through the left side and moved around to third on a double to the right-field corner by junior center fielder Karl Derbacher (Northford, Conn.). Fiorillo followed with a single back up the middle to drive home both runners to give SCSU a 2-0 lead.

Caldwell tied the game at 2-2 with a pair of runs in the top of the fifth. With one out, Jon Irwin singled back through the middle and moved to second when Tommy Murphy attempted to lay down a sacrifice bunt but wound up on first with a base hit. Omar Velazquez followed with an infield single to third to load the bases. After Chiarappa popped out to second, Saxon drove in Irwin with an infield single to third. Murphy would come home to score an unearned run and tie the game as junior third baseman Justin Cox (Newburgh, N.Y.) bounced the throw to first and it skipped away from Davidson.

The Cougars took a 3-2 lead in the top of the sixth when Molina crushed a two-out payoff pitch from Fuller over the fence in left-center for a solo homerun, his sixth of the season.

Fuller started on the mound and took the loss (9-3) for SCSU. Over eight innings, he gave up three runs (two earned) on seven hits, walked three, threw a wild pitch and struck out 13.

Stephen Pfeil started on the hill and earned the victory (5-4) for Caldwell. Over eight-plus innings, he gave up two runs on five hits, walked five, threw a pair of wild pitches and struck out eight. Tommy Murphy pitched a scoreless ninth, allowed one hit and struck out two to tally his first save of the season.

The Owls return to action on Friday, May 16 when they face elimination against top seed Franklin Pierce at the NCAA Northeast Regional. First pitch is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. at Dr. Pappas Field.