FORT MYERS, Fla. - After dropping the opener, 11-1, the Western Connecticut State University baseball team nearly rallied to capture the nightcap. However, the comeback came up short as they fell, 8-7, in a doubleheader matchup with the University of Wisonsin-Stout on Monday. Seniors Joe Brunelli (Roxbury, Conn.) and Jesse Dunn (Bedford, N.Y.) each racked up three hits in Game Two for the Wolves. 

It was all Blue Devils in the first contest as they jumped out to a 9-0 lead courtesy of a pair of home runs thru two innings. WestConn got on the board in the fourth when graduate student Jake Montas (Ellington, Conn.) belted a single to send junior Zachary Royka (Naugatuck, Conn.) across the plate. Royka hit a single before advancing to second on a passed ball. Sophomore Julian Gonzalez (Wethersfield, Conn.) finished with two hits for WestConn.

The second contest was a battle and was delayed for lightning in the sixth inning. The Blue Devils held a narrow 5-4 lead before stretching it to 8-4 in the top of the sixth. However, the Wolves put up three runs in the bottom half of the frame, cutting it to 8-7.

Dunn singled and stole second get things moving. Senior Christopher Ehlers (Norwalk, Conn.) then got a base knock to set up runners on the corners. Sophomore Nicholas Moeller (Mahopac, N.Y.) roped an RBI single to center, scoring Dunn. Moments later, Brunelli ripped a single to left center, sending Ehlers across the plate. Senior Cameron Bogli (Vernon, Conn.) ripped yet another single to push Moeller home.

But neither team was able to pierce the scoring column in the seventh. WestConn got the game-tying runner on base with a walk but he was unable to come around to score, sealing the Wisconsin-Stout win. 

With the pair of losses, the Wolves fell to 2-8 overall, while the Blue Devils improved to 3-0. After a day off tomorrow, WestConn returns to action on Wednesday for a doubleheader matchup against Skidmore College.