Bulldogs shutout in game two on Saturday

NEW BRITAIN, Conn. – Mike Delease tossed a two-hit shutout to help Central Connecticut earned a split of Saturday's Northeast Conference doubleheader with an 8-0 victory over the Bryant University baseball team in game two at the CCSU Baseball Field.

The loss snaps the Bulldogs' (17-20, 10-3 NEC) four-game winning streak and moves the Blue Devils (20-16, 11-5 NEC) a game closer in the league standings.

Delease barely broke a sweat for CCSU, surrendering just two hits and needing just 65 pitches to finish the seven-inning start. He didn't record a walk or strikeout but did hit a batter, facing just three batters over the minimum on the afternoon. Delease surrendered a single to open the game and a two-out single in the fourth. He then retired the final 10 batters he faced. 

CCSU scored all the runs it would need with a three-run third. The Blue Devils put the game away with a five-run fifth. In the third, a walk and a single put the first two runners and Dean Lockery delivered a two-run double down the right field line. Lockery would then score on a balk to make it 3-0.

In the fifth, Nick Garland led off with a single and was advanced to second with a bunt. After a pop up, Chris Kanios was hit by a pitch and Ryan Costello walked to load the bases. TT Bowens followed with a two-run single to left and Mitch Guilmette capped the inning with a three-run home run to right.

Freshman Vito Morgese (Warwick, N.Y.) made his first NEC start and allowed four runs on five hits in 4 2/3 innings. He walked two and struck out two. Senior Cole Fabio (Mahwah, N.J.) and freshman Chris Wright (Cumberland, R.I.) had the only two hits for the Bulldogs.

Guilmette finished 2-for-2 with three RBI, while Garland had two hits and scored twice.

The Bulldogs and Blue Devils wrap up their weekend series on Sunday afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.