Crowley Leads Baseball To Fifth-Straight Win; 6-1 Over Bentley Tuesday
Box Score

WALTHAM, Mass. --- Junior leftfielder Daryle Crowley (Danvers) - pictured - and sophomore first baseman Mike Rocco (Tewksbury) each drove in two runs, and senior righthander Steve Sloan (Franklin) won his fourth game of the season, as Bryant University extended its winning streak to five with a 6-1 win over Bentley College in Northeast-10 Conference baseball Tuesday afternoon at DeFelice Field.

Bryant, which scored four in the third and two in the seventh, improved to 17-11 overall and 11-5 in the conference. Bentley dropped to 9-19 overall and 6-10 in the conference.

While hits were close to even (a 10-9 edge for Bryant), the difference was hitting with runners on base. The Bulldogs were 8 for 15 in that situation while Bentley was just 2 of 18, including hitless in seven at bats with runners in scoring position.

Bryant grabbed the lead in the third when it parlayed five singles and an error into four runs, all being scored with two out. Rocco singled up the middle to score the first two, junior third baseman Paul Novakowski (Prospect, Conn.) had an RBI single and Crowley scored the fourth run when the ball was misplayed in left.

Bentley got one run back in the fourth. Sophomore shortstop Steve Gath (Reading/Reading HS) opened the inning by doubling to left, extending his hitting streak to nine games. He moved to third on a ground out and scored on a sacrifice fly by junior third baseman Chad Mastin (Newmarket, N.H./Newmarket HS).

Bryant closed out the scoring in the seventh on a two-run double to left center by Crowley, following a walk to freshman DH Adam Vuolo (Walpole) and a single by junior second baseman Adam Rourke (Rowley). Sloan, 4-2 on the year, went the distance, scattering nine hits while leaving 10 runners on base. He walked only one and struck out three.

Bryant's 10 hits included three by Crowley and two apiece by Rocco and Novakowski. Senior DH Tim Bryant (Reading/Reading HS), sophomore catcher Mike O'Connor (Wilbraham/Minnechaug Reg. HS) and senior leftfielder Chris Methe (Longmeadow/Longmeadow HS) each had two hits for the Falcons.

Bryant will travel to Southern Connecticut on Wednesday for a makeup game before Bryant and Bentley close out their two-game series Thursday afternoon with a 3:30 p.m. encounter at Bryant.