March 24, 2004
FAIRFIELD, Conn. - Central Connecticut State scored three runs in the top of the sixth inning and four in the top of the seventh inning to come away with a 9-5 win over the Fairfield University baseball team on Wednesday afternoon at Alumni Diamond.
With the win the Blue Devils improve to 8-4-1 on the season, and the Stags fall to 2-7 in 2004.
Sophomore Tom Arpino (Brooklyn, N.Y./Xaverian) led the Stags at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two runs batted in. Senior Nick Hudyma (New Britain, Conn./New Britain) was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two stolen bases, and senior Sal Mancuso (Bethpage, N.Y./Bethpage) was 2-for-5 with a run scored, RBI, and a double.
In the bottom of the first inning, Hudyma stroked a leadoff single to left field, then senior Andy Lynn (Montville, N.J./Delbarton) reached on an error by Central Connecticut's Chris Skrypack. That brought Mancuso to the plate where he stroked a double to bring home Hudyma.
Sophomore John Scaife singled to right field to drive in Lynn. After a pop-up, Arpino cleared the bases with a single to the right center field gap.
CCSU pushed a run across in the top of the second inning, with a RBI double to right, by Jon Riggleman. However, in the Fairfield half of the second, Hudyma scored on a wild pitch by Skrypack.
The Blue Devils added a run in the top of the third inning when Tim D'Aquila singled through the right side of the infield to cut the Fairfield lead to 5-2.
It would remain that way until the Central Connecticut bats woke up in the late innings. Tom Pezzello singled home D'Aquila, and Brad Muldoon smacked a double to centerfield in the top of the sixth.
In the seventh Rob Hosgood had an RBI single, then he advanced to second on a throwing error, and D'Aquila was hit-by-a-pitch to put runners in scoring position. John Blaze had an RBI single to left, and a few batters later Muldoon had a single that brought home two base runners.
Fairfield starter sophomore Sean Keegan (Middlebury, Conn./Pomperaug) went five innings, giving up four runs on seven hits and two walks, he also struck out two batters on the afternoon.
Reliever Steve Tyburski took the loss, going two innings, surrendering five runs on seven hits. Freshman Ed Kamintzky (Astoria, N.Y./Regis) looked sharp tossing two innings with only one run, and three strikeouts.
Central Connecticut's Chris Skrypack went five innings giving up five runs on nine hits and two walks. He was shaky early on, but settled down to strikeout eight Stags on the afternoon.
Fairfield is back in action this weekend, as it opens Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) action with a three-game series with Marist College. The Stags and the Red Foxes will play a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon, beginning at 12 p.m.
