MANCHESTER, N.H. - The Southern Connecticut State University baseball team lost to nationally-ranked No. 7 Southern New Hampshire, 5-4 in 10 innings, in a Northeast 10 Conference matchup at Penmen Field in Manchester, N.H. With the loss, Southern drops to 10-16 overall and 1-6 in the NE10 while Southern New Hampshire improves to 21-6 overall and 7-1 in conference play.
Jim Palmer (Milford, Conn.) was 3-for-5 with a double, RBI and a stolen base. Tyler Criscuolo (Branford, Conn.) returned to the Owls' lineup after missing the last 15 games and was 1-for-4 with a RBI. On the mound,
Ronnie Rossomando (Stratford, Conn.) held the Penmen's high-powered offense to four runs on eight hits over six innings and took the no-decision. Tommy Hughes (New London, Conn.) took the loss in relief after giving up the game-winning run in the bottom of the 10th inning. Hughes gave up two hits over 3 2/3.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Southern New Hampshire manufactured a run in the bottom of the second inning to take an early lead. The Owls responded in the top of the third when Palmer delivered a one-out single through the left side of the infield. Anthony Zambito (Ridgewood, N.J.) followed with a single down the right field line before the Owls pulled off the double steal – Palmer going to third and Zambito taking second – before Nick Lamberti (East Haven, Conn.) drove in Palmer to tie the game at 1-1.
- In the fifth inning, Nolan Cloutier (Wallingford, Conn.) reached on a throwing error by SNHU's third baseman and then scored on Palmer's RBI double to give Southern Connecticut a 2-1 lead.
- After Southern New Hampshire homered in the bottom of the fifth to tie the game at 2-2, the Penmen tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the sixth to take a 4-2 lead.
- In the eighth, Palmer led off the inning with a single before John Spoto (Stamford, Conn.) walked and Lamberti reached on an error to load the bases. Criscuolo was then hit by a pitch to force Palmer home before Connor Redahan (Greenwich, Conn.) drove in Spoto as he reached on a fielder's choice to tie the game at 4-4.
- Criscuolo singled with one out in the top of the 10th before Redahan went down swinging. DeMartino then sent a deep drive down the right field line that was caught on the warning track with the rightfielders back against the outfield wall.
- In the bottom half of the inning, Southern New Hampshire's Jake Coro homered with two outs for the walk-off win.
NOTES
- Palmer's after gave him his second three-hit game of the season and his 10th multiple-hit game of the season. The Owls' shortstop is now hitting .317 (32-101) for the year including a .444 (11-25) clip over his last six games.
- Criscuolo resumes a five-game hitting streak that was put on hold for the Owls' last 15 games. He is now hitting .459 (17-37) with 14 RBI in nine games played for the year.
- Zambito picked up his NE10-leading 24th stolen base of the season against the Penmen. The second-year Owl has now been successful in his last eight stolen base attempts.
- DeMartino extended his hitting streak to seven games.
UP NEXT
Southern will resume play with a NE10 doubleheader at Stonehill on Saturday, Apr. 6 and a twinbill at Bentley on Sunday, Apr. 7.
