WALTHAM, Mass. - The Southern Connecticut State University baseball team split a Northeast 10 Conference doubleheader at Bentley, dropping the first game, 7-6, before winning the nightcap, 10-5. The Owls go to 12-18 overall and 3-8 in the NE10 while Bentley drops to 9-16 overall and 6-5 in conference play.
Mike DeMartino (New Haven, Conn.) was 5-for-9 in the doubleheader with four RBI and two runs scored. DeMartino was 2-for-4 with two RBI in the first game and 3-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored in the second game. Mac Finnegan (Old Saybrook, Conn.) was 4-for-8 for the day while Trevor Whalen (Rocky HIll, Conn.) was 2-for-4 with two RBI in the first game.
On the mound, freshman hurler Brandon White (Simsbury, Conn.) improved to 2-0 after winning his second-straight decision. White gave up five runs, with only three of which were allowed, while scattering seven hits over seven innings and striking out three. Quantique White (New London, Conn.) pitched two scoreless, no-hit innings for his fourth save of the season.
Game 1 (Bentley 11, SCSU 6)
- Bentley jumped out to a 5-0 lead with three runs in the 2nd inning followed by two more runs in the third. The Owls responded with a three-run 4th inning to pull within two runs of the Falcons, 5-3. Nick Lamberti reached base with a one-out single and then went to third when Tyler Crisuolo singled through the right side of the infield and moved to second on the throw to third. Connor Redahan followed with another single to score Lamberti before Mike DeMartino singled home Criscuolo. After Mac Finnegan singled for the Owls' fifth-straight hit, Trevor Whalen belted the Owls' sixth hit of the inning to score Redahan and cut the Falcons' lead to two.
- Bentley responded in the 5th inning with three more runs to push its lead to 8-3. In the 6th, Whalen drove in his second run of the afternoon with a single to right field to score Finnegan and also move Cloutier to third. Cloutier then scored on Jim Palmer's sacrifice fly as the Owls continued to chip away at the Falcons' lead, 8-5.
- In the 7th, Redahan stroked a one-out triple to left-center field before DeMartino doubled to plate Redahan and make it 8-6. Bentley took the momentum back with three runs in the bottom of the inning to cap the scoring for the first game of the twin bill.
GAME 2 (SCSU 10, Bentley 5)
- Bentley once-again jumped out to an early lead as they scored twice in the 1st inning. The Owls got a run back in the top of the 2nd when Redahan scored on a balk. Bentley plated two more runs in the bottom half of the inning to take a 4-1 lead through two innings.
- In the 3rd, Cameron O'Toole reached on an error before Criscuolo singled and Redahan walked to load the bases. DeMartino then singled to score O'Toole and Criscuolo and pull the Owls to within a run, 4-3.
- The Owls tied the game in the 5th when DeMartino drilled a two-out double before scoring on a triple by Finnegan.
- Southern tied the game in the 7th when DeMartino and Finnegan both singled with two outs. Cloutier then reached on an error to load the bases before John Spoto worked a walk to force DeMartino in to give the Owls a 5-4 lead.
- After Bentley tied the game in the bottom of the 7th, Southern responded with two runs in the top of the 8th. O'Toole led off with a single, and was then subbed out for pinch runner Anthony Zambito, before Lamberti drew a walk and Criscuolo bunted both of them into scoring position. Zambito then scored on a wild pitch to give the Owls a lead before Redahan drove in Lamberti to give Southern a two-run cushion
- In the 9th, the Owls added three more runs to take a 10-5 lead. After Spoto walked, he scored on a RBI double by Palmer before Zambito singled to move him to third. After Zambito swiped second base, Criscuolo laced a two-run single through the left side of the infield.
NOTES
- DeMartino extended his hitting streak to 11 games, including three-straight games with multiple hits. DeMartino hit .583 (7-12) with five RBI over his last three games.
- Finnegan saw a solid weekend at the plate with three-straight games with multiple hits while hitting .500 (6-12) for the weekend.
- Criscuolo extended his hitting streak to nine games. The Owls' captain made his first appearance in the lineup in 15 games against Southern New Hampshire on Friday, Apr. 5 due to injury and picked up where he left off as he drove in a run in four of the five games this weekend since his return. For the weekend, Criscuolo batted .333 (7-21) with eight RBI.
UP NEXT
Southern is set to host Saint Rose on Monday, Apr. 8 in a make-up game from their postponed game on Mar. 31. With the threat of potential inclement weather, Owls fans should reference the Official Website of SCSU Athletics, www.SouthernCTOwls.com, as well as Twitter (@SCSU_Owls) for up-to-the-minute schedule change announcements, as well as the latest news, scores and highlights.
