May 3, 2010

Box Score 

SAINTS OUTSLUG BULLDOGS 14-6; SNAP FOUR-GAME WINNING STREAK IN MONDAY'S NON-CONFERENCE SHOWDOWN

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Fresh off a four-game sweep of NEC foe Wagner College, the Bryant University baseball team dropped a 14-6 decision to the Siena Saints in a non-conference showdown on Monday afternoon at the Bryant Baseball Complex.

The Saints (20-25), members of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, outhit the Bulldogs (23-20) 18-15 in the high-hitting affair and belted three homeruns.

Siena second baseman Dan Paolini jumpstarted the Saints early in the first inning with a towering two-run homer to left field to give his squad a 2-0 lead.

Senior outfielder Nick Campbell (Raynham, Mass.) extended his hitting streak to 16 games on Monday.

The Bulldogs grabbed one run back in the bottom of the first frame as they strung together three consecutive singles. Junior Jordan English (Windsor Locks, Conn.) got the rally going with a single up the middle and senior catcher Jeff Vigurs (South Windsor, Conn.) followed with a line drive single to right. Senior outfielder Nick Campbell (Raynham, Mass.) extended his team-high hitting streak to 16 games with an RBI single to left field in the next Bryant at-bat. Campbell went 4-5 on the day and tallied two RBIs.

Following a one-run frame from the Saints in the top of the third inning, the Bulldogs knotted things up at three apiece when senior Dylan Stone (Portsmouth, R.I.) hit a game-tying double to centerfield to plate Vigurs and English. Stone went 2-4 with two RBIs in the outing.

Siena added one in the fourth and two in the fifth inning to take a 6-3 lead after four and a half innings of play.

The Bulldogs would respond quickly once again as they plated one run in the bottom of the fifth. Vigurs got the action going with two outs with another rope to right field, this time for his 58th career double. The Connecticut native is ranked first in career doubles at Bryant. A Campbell single to second base and a throwing error by Siena's Paolini allowed Vigurs to bring Bryant back within two runs, down 6-4.

The bats stayed hot for the Siena players as they began putting the game out of reach in the top of the sixth inning with four runs on five hits off the Bulldogs' pitching staff.

Down 10-4, the Bulldogs got two back in the bottom of the seventh inning on another series of singles. Sophomore first baseman Jamie Skagerlind (Holden, Mass.) picked up the two RBIs in the frame with his lone hit of the game, a ripped single up the middle, to cut the deficit to 10-6.

However, that would be as close as the Bulldogs got in the game as Siena added the emphasis on their 18-hit day with two two-run homers in the top of the ninth inning. Siena centerfielder Anthony Giansanti was the first to strike with a long drive down the left center. Paolini, who hit a two-run shot in the top of the first inning, turned out the lights on the Bulldogs with his second of the game, a two-run dinger down the left field line. The sophomore went 4-5, scored four runs and drove in a game-high seven runs.

In a game that consisted of 10 different pitchers, Siena's Dan Pendleton picked up the victory, his first of the 2010 campaign. Bryant starter David O'Brien took the loss in the contest.

The Black and Gold look to get back on track Wednesday afternoon when they host intrastate rival Brown University in the Bulldogs' final non-conference matchup of the season. The Bears come into the Bryant Baseball Complex with a 13-30 overall record. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.