Central Connecticut, Quinnipiac get first-ever NCAA Tournament wins.
Win over California is Central Connecticut’s 1st in NCAA tourney
Dave Matthews had three hits, including a three-run homer, to lead Central Connecticut to its first NCAA Tournament win in Division I in program history.
The Blue Devils beat California 7-4 on Saturday in an elimination game in the regional at Fayetteville, Ark.
Central (31-22) will play TCU in another elimination game Sunday. To advance from the regional, the Blue Devils will have to win three games over the next two days.
“Obviously, it was a special day for our program,” coach Charlie Hickey told reporters afterward. “First NCAA win, and in a very well-played, hardnosed baseball game. … I was awfully proud of this team [Friday] and it is the same pride I have in them today.”
Quinnipiac, in its second NCAA Tournament appearance, stunned top seed and host East Carolina 5-4 in Greenville, N.C. on Saturday night to move into the winners’ bracket. Evan Vulgamore homered in the first inning and Liam Scafariello hit a two-run shot in the seventh to put the Bobcats ahead to stay.
In its five previous tournament appearances, Central was eliminated after two games, but it now has a tournament win — and over a Pac-12 opponent.
Tom Curtain, the righthander from Bristol who was MVP in the Northeast Conference Tournament, threw seven innings for CCSU, allowing only four hits and two earned runs. Jared Gallagher finished for his 10th save.
“I was just trying to throw as many strikes as I can with all my pitches,” said Curtain, who struck out only two, “and give my defense the opportunity to make me plays, as they have done all year.”
Central rallied from 2-0 and 3-2 deficits to tie the score. In the fifth inning, Chandler Debrosse and Sam Loda singled and Matthews, from Newtown, hit a first pitch for his fourth homer of the season. It was his second clutch homer in a week — he tied the NEC final against Bryant with a homer May 26.
“Good teams pick each other up,” said Matthews, who had four RBIs, “and I think that great teams find a way to get it done.
“I think TT [Bowens, who had five RBIs versus Arkansas] supported us offensively when no one else was hitting. I think today we kind of just needed that kick-start.”
Buddy Dewaine, from Montville, homered in the seventh to make it 7-3.
“This is what you play for,” Matthews said. “You come out here with one goal: to win the conference championship, and after that we got the privilege to play here in front of the biggest crowd in this atmosphere. It is unexplainable.”
Qu i n n i p i a c , the MAAC champ, was rained out on Friday. Chris Enns, who pitched 6 2⁄
3 innings, and Colin Donnelly, who took it from there, handled the pitching for the Bobcats. Donnelly got the final out with the potential tying and winning runs on base. With the score tied at 3-3, Anthony Cruz walked and Scafariello, from Southington, homered on a 3-0 pitch.
“Obviously, it was a special day for our program.” — Central Connecticut baseball coach Charlie Hickey, on his team’s NCAA Tournament win