Bulldogs Host URI Wednesday at 3:30 pm

SMITHFIELD, R.I. -  A three-run first inning highlighted by a home run from sophomore Kevin Brown (Northborough, Mass.) and a strong pitching performance from senior John Michael Ryan (Worcester, Mass.) helped lead the Bryant University baseball team to a 5-1 win over Wagner College Sunday and a Northeast Conference split for the weekend series in Staten Island, N.Y.  

Bryant (13-15, 5-7 NEC) scratched across three runs in the top of the first off Wagner starter Ryan Van Spronsen.  Brown (Northborough, Mass.) got things started things off on the right foot by blasting his third home run of the season, a one-out solo shot to right field, to put the Bulldogs up 1-0. 

David Soltis (Planville, Conn.) followed with a single to right and moved to third on a Mike DelPonte (Tewksbury, Mass.) double down the left field line, putting two runners in scoring position. Soltis would score on a grounder to short by Jordan English (Windsor Locks, Conn.). English would reach first safely on an errant throw by the Seahawk shortstop. 

After Jamie Skagerlind (Holden, Mass.) fouled out for the second out of the inning, Joseph Carcone (New Hartford, Conn.) singled up the middle to score DelPonte, spotting Ryan (Worcester, Mass.) a 3-0 lead before throwing his first pitch of the game.

Ryan would make good with the lead, allowing just four hits through the first five innings, picking up six strikeouts along the way.  

Wagner threatened right away in the bottom of the first putting two runners on without an out courtesy of a pair of walks.  But Ryan would settle down, fanning Kevin McDonnell and Jon Lucas and getting Tommy Higgins to ground out to end the threat.

The Bulldogs would tack on a pair of runs in the top of the sixth courtesy three-straight singles including an RBI single by Colin Shepard (Boxford, Mass.) to score Skagerlind and made it 5-0 after a well executed sacrifice bunt by Tim Norton (Barnstable, Mass.) to score Carcone from third.

Ryan would take the lead into the eighth inning before the Seahawks finally got on the board.  A Higgins single to right with two outs scored Boyd from third to make it 5-1.  Reliever Mark Andrews (Hillsborough, N.J.) would relieve Ryan proceeded to get out of the inning by picking off Higgins to end the side. 

From there, Andrews would close things by striking out Jack Rice and getting Gaby Ramirez to ground into a game-ending double play. 

Ryan finished the day striking out a total of nine batters and walking just two through seven 2/3 innings of work to move to 3-1 on the season.  

Carcone had a great day at the plate as the freshman went 3-for-3 with an RBI and run scored while Soltis and Skagerlind each had two hits. 

The Bulldogs will host Rhode Island this Wednesday before returning to Northeast Conference action with a four-game series against Mount St. Mary's at the Bryant Baseball Complex starting next Friday at 3 pm.