Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

NEW BRITAIN, Conn. – The Fairleigh Dickinson baseball team split a doubleheader at Central Connecticut on Saturday afternoon.  The Knights (10-15, 4-7 NEC) won the opening game 7-3 before dropping the second game to the Blue Devils (11-18, 5-6 NEC) by a score of 13-3.

GAME ONE – FDU 7, CCSU 3
Senior Joe Borelli (Wallingford, Conn./Mark T. Sheehan ) started the first game for the Knights and delivered seven strong innings to lead FDU to the 7-3 victory.  Borelli allowed just three runs, two earned, while scattering eight hits.  He struck out two CCSU hitters and did not issue any walks.

Borelli allowed two runs on a two-run home run by Ryan Costello in the bottom of the fourth inning.  He then allowed a single unearned run in the sixth inning before pitching a one-two-three seventh to pick up his first complete game of the season

The Knights used a two-out rally to score four runs on five consecutive base hits in the top of the third inning.  Junior Dylan Sprague (Brunswick, N.Y./Averill Park) singled to center and senior Riley Moonan (Syracuse, N.Y./Cicero North) followed with a base hit to left center that gave the Knights runners on first and third.  Junior Pat McClure singled to score Sprague and junior Joel Roman (East Hartford, Conn./East Hartford) doubled to right to score Moonan and send McClure to third.  The final blow came from junior Ryan Brennan (Mooresville, N.C./Mooresville) who doubled to right field to score McClure and Roman.

FDU added a fifth run on a failed pickoff attempt in the fourth inning.

The Knights offense went back to work in the sixth inning scoring two runs on four hits.  Junior John Giakas (Staten Island, N.Y./Tottenville) doubled to right center with one out and freshman Bobby Romano (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan ) quickly followed with an RBI double.  The next batter was senior Shane Siebler (Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth Area) and he singled up the middle to drive in Romano.

Borelli improves to 1-4 on the season with the victory.

The Knights connected for 10 hits in the game and left just four men on base in the contest.

"Borelli pitched really well in the first game," head coach Gary Puccio said.  "Borelli didn't walk anyone, which is a key for us.  We are going to be successful when we throw strikes and don't issue walks.  Obviously, getting five straight hits to score four runs with two-outs in the third inning was huge for our momentum in game one."

GAME TWO – CCSU 13, FDU 3
The Knights plated a pair of runs in the top of the seventh inning, but it was not enough to overcome CCSU's offense in game two.

Sophomore Jose DeLeon (Paterson, N.J./Eastside) drove in the two runs with a double to right center.   The hit scored sophomore Chris Grupp (The Woodlands, Texas/The Woodlands College Park) who singled and freshman Justin Sportman (Schenectady, N.Y./La Salle Institue) who reached on a walk.

Junior Ryan McGrath (Lansingburgh, N.Y./Lansingburgh) took the loss.  He falls to 4-4 on the season.  McGrath allowed seven runs on six hits over 3.2 innings.  As a staff, the Knights issued 12 walks and allowed 12 hits in the game.
Moonan, Grupp and Siebler each collected two hits in the game.

The series will conclude with a single game on Sunday at CCSU.