The start of play was delayed by 2 hours and 25 minutes due to rain, but there was no shortage of excitement on Day 1 of the NEC Tournament. Top-seeded Bryant and No. 4 Wagner were deadlocked at 2-2 until the Bulldogs plated three runs in the seventh inning to take control of Game 1. Bryant junior Kevin McAvoy earned the complete-game victory as the Bulldogs recorded their 40th win of the season. Game 2, which featured intrastate rivals Central Connecticut and Sacred Heart, ended with the potential winning run being cut down at home plate. After surviving the 4-3 victory, CCSU will face Bryant in a winner's bracket game on Friday. First, however, Sacred Heart will take on Wagner in an elimination game slated to begin at 12:00 pm.
Game 1
#1 Bryant 5, #4 Wagner 2
Box Score
Highlights
Kevin McAvoy has started Bryant’s last two NEC Tournament games, and he’s also finished them.
The 6-foot-3 right-hander, who twirled a complete-game shutout in the 2013 NEC Championship Game, went the distance again on Thursday as Bryant opened the 2014 NEC Tournament with a 5-2 victory over Wagner.
The Bulldogs used a three-run seventh inning to separate themselves from the Seahawks and move into the winner’s bracket of the double-elimination postseason event, the winner of which will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Regional.
After throwing a three-hit gem in his last appearance at the NEC Tournament, McAvoy had to labor a bit this time around. The first team all-NEC selection surrendered 10 hits while walking four, but stranded 13 Seahawks on base.
McAvoy retired the first two batters he faced in the eighth inning before Wagner mounted a mini threat.
Trey Nicosia, whose RBI single tied the game at 2-2 in the sixth, singled up the middle and Nick Mascelli followed with a base knock to right field. All-NEC second team outfielder Chris Smith drew a walk to load the bases, but McAvoy induced a popup to shortstop from Wagner catcher Nick Dini to end the threat.
NEC Coach of the Year Steve Owens sent McAvoy out for the ninth and the righty make his skipper look good by twirling a 1-2-3 inning to complete the victory. He fanned the first two batters of the frame before inducing a fly out to centerfield to end it.
The 5-2 victory was the Bulldogs’ 40th of the season, making Bryant the first team in NEC history to post back-to-back 40-win campaigns.
Bryant broke a 2-2 tie in the seventh inning when Cole Fabio’s infield hit scored first baseman Robby Rinn. Shortstop Dan Cellucci followed with a run-scoring single and 2013 NEC Tournament MVP Jordan Mountford tacked on another run with a sac fly.
Game 2
#2 Central Connecticut 4, #3 Sacred Heart 3
Box Score
Highlights
Central Connecticut’s four-run fifth inning proved to be just enough for the Blue Devils on Day 1 of the NEC Tournament.
CCSU turned aside intra-state rival Sacred Heart, 4-3, to set up a winner’s bracket bout with top-seeded Bryant on Friday.
All-NEC pitcher Nick Neumann threw 7.0 innings of two-run ball for the Blue Devils. Rookie righty Matt Blandino came on to toss the final 2.0 frames and survived a wild ninth to earn the save.
The game ended with a play at the plate as Sacred Heart’s Jesus Medina attempted to score the tying run from second base on an infield hit.
Trailing 4-2 and down to their final two outs, the Pioneers rallied.
Kenny Byram absorbed a hit-by-pitch and Medina followed with a double to left-centerfield, putting runners on second and third with one out.
Blandino caught the next batter – SHU rookie shortstop Zack Short – looking at Strike 3, but he wasn’t out of the woods just yet.
All-NEC outfielder Jayson Sullivan followed by hitting a slow grounder that was fielded by CCSU second baseman Josh Ingham. Sullivan beat the throw to first base, allowing Byram to score and prompting Medina to break for the plate with the potential tying run.
CCSU first baseman Dominic Severino saw Medina making his move down the third base line and fired a strike to cut the runner down at the plate.
The heads-up defensive play by Severino ended a game that was marred by a combined seven errors.
Sacred Heart did not have its best day in the field, and Central Connecticut took full advantage in the fifth inning.
The Blue Devils scored their first run of the game on a throwing error by the shortstop and added two more on a miscue by starting pitcher Kody Kerski. Trying to limit the damage at one run, Kerski fielded a dribbler with two outs and runners on first and third. Attempting to make the tough play, he fired wide of first base to allow Franklin Jennings and JP Sportman to score.
CCSU pushed the score to 4-0 when first baseman Dominic Severino lumbered down the line to beat out an infield single and allow Josh Ingham to score.
Sacred Heart cut the deficit in half with a pair of unearned runs in the seventh.