Central Connecticut gets 1st NCAA victory, beating Cal 7-4
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — Dave Matthews hit a tiebreaking three-run homer in the fifth inning and Central Connecticut State won its first NCAA Tournament game, beating California 7-4 in a regional elimination game Saturday.
The fourth-seeded Blue Devils (31-22) were 0-11 all-time in the tournament after losing their regional opener to host Arkansas, the No. 5 national seed. Central Connecticut State will face another elimination game against the Arkansas-TCU loser.
Matthews also had an RBI single to get the Blue Devils even at 3-3 in the third. Buddy Dewaine connected on a solo homer in the ninth after an infield single in the second that led to his team’s first run when Matthews scored on a throwing error.
Tom Curtin (6-3) gave up four hits and three runs — two earned — in seven innings with two strikeouts and two walks. Jared Gallagher allowed a run in the ninth before getting Quentin Selma on a popup as the potential tying run for his 10th save.
Cal’s Andrew Vaughn, who has a chance to be the first back-to-back winner of the Golden Spikes Award as the top amateur player in the country, was 0 for 6 in two games as the second-seeded Golden Bears (32-20) got swept in their first regional appearance since 2015.
Sam Stoutenborough (8-5) allowed nine hits and six runs — five earned — in five innings.
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