Box Score NEW BRITAIN – Three Wesleyan University pitchers combined on an eight-hitter and the Cardinals erased an early deficit by scoring three runs in the bottom of the third inning in a 5-2 victory over Eastern Connecticut State University Wednesday afternoon in a game played at Central Connecticut State University.
Ranked No. 5 in New England and No. 27 nationally, Wesleyan (9-4) ended a 19-game winless streak (18-0-1) against Eastern (6-6), defeating the Warriors for the first time in 21 years. The Cards were playing their northern opener. Eastern shares seventh place in this week's New England Division III poll and had a five-game winning streak stopped.
Trailing 2-0, Wesleyan went ahead for good by scoring three runs in the third on four hits. The rally began with an Eastern error. A double and triple tied the score and Sam Goodwin-Boyd's single to left plate the go-ahead run.
Junior righty Peter Rantz did not allow an earned run and only five hits in pitching the first six innings and claiming his second win in three decisions. Rantz fanned four and walked two. Senior righty Sam Elias fanned five over two innings to preserve the lead and senior righty Nick Miceli surrendered ninth inning singles to freshmen D.J. Scavone (Auburn, MA) and Mike Funaro (Northford) but earned his third save with two game-ending strikeouts.
Senior Corey Keane (Tolland) doubled in Eastern's first run and scored its second in the third inning to stake the Warriors to an early lead, but the Warriors were shut out the rest of the way.
In his first career start (26th appearance), senior lefty Matt D'Orsi (West Hartford) gave up two earned runs and struck out two through the first three innings in losing in his first decision of the year.
Eastern faces Salve Regina University Thursday at 3 p.m. at Central Connecticut.
