April 21, 2008
BRYANT MAKES IT FIVE STRAIGHT WITH 8-4 VICTORY OVER UMASS LOWELL TUESDAY
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Pat O'Connor knocked out his |
SMITHFIELD, RI - For the fifth-straight game, the Bryant University baseball team knocked out more than 10 hits, riding 12 hits Tuesday afternoon to get past Northeast-10 opponent UMass Lowell, 8-4, at the Bryant Baseball Complex.
The win made it five straight and moved the Bulldogs (32-14, 19-5 NE-10) to a 16-4 mark since the beginning of April.
Bryant ripped out a trio of hits for as many runs in the bottom of the first and added another in the third before allowing the Riverhawks (20-18, 14-7) to get on the board in the fourth frame.
Sophomore Nick Campbell (Raynham, Mass.) continued on his current hot streak, taking a first-pitch offering to centerfield for a two-RBI single to score Jason Alexander (Simsbury, Conn.) and Dylan Stone (Portsmouth, RI) to open the first inning. Campbell came home two batters later, despite catcher Jeff Vigurs (South Windor, Conn.) grounding into a double play.
Junior co-captain Pat McKenna (Orange, Conn.) had the best day at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a trio of RBI. The shortstop got going in the third, sending an RBI single to right center to score Pat O'Connor (Mattapoisett, Mass.) - who reached on an error by Lowell's third baseman - and put Bryant up, 4-0.
UMass Lowell came back with one run in the fourth - a single down the right field line to score senior designated hitter Tim Manton - which the Bulldogs would nullify in the fifth, scoring a single tally off a sacrifice fly to deep left field from McKenna.
Bryant added three more runs in the home half of the seventh, scattering five hits in a frame highlighted by a pair of triples. The first came off the bat of O'Connor and soared over the head of Riverhawk centerfielder Felix Martinez to lead off the inning, while right fielder Taylor Ferguson (Charlton, Mass.) followed with his first three-bagger of the season three batters later.
Senior starter Eric Loh (Old Greenwich, Conn.) got in trouble in the eighth, issuing a pair of walks in the first three at bats before being relieved by freshman John Michael Ryan (Worcester, Mass.). The Riverhawks would plate both runs before the Bulldogs worked out of the inning, stranding one.
One more tally in the top of the ninth off closer Eric Polvani (Wallingford, Conn.) would move the score to 8-4, but Lowell wouldn't manage any more damage as Bryant took its fifth consecutive win heading into the last stretch of regular-season play.
Loh earned the win on the day, moving to 7-2 on the year while letting up four hits for three runs with a strikeout. The 2007 All-American started the game with three-straight 1-2-3 innings before Manton broke up the perfect game with a single to left to leadoff the fourth.
Jeffrey Maloney (3-3) took the loss for the Riverhawks, allowing six runs (just two earned) off five hits while issuing five walks and a trio of strikeouts.
O'Connor joined McKenna at the top of the Bulldog offense Tuesday, going 2-for-4 with three runs scored. Alexander also ripped out a trio of hits, going 3-for-4 and crossing the plate once himself.
Tim Keene led UMass Lowell at the plate, going 3-for-4 with an RBI and run scored, as the Riverhawks took Bryant's pitching trio of eight hits on the day.
The Bulldogs and the Riverhawks round out their regular-season series Thursday, April 24 when Bryant travels to Lowell, Mass. for a 6 p.m. contest.
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Bryant 8, UMass Lowell 4 (Final)
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UMass Lowell........ 000 100 021 - 4 8 2
Bryant University... 301 010 300 - 8 12 1
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Win - Loh (7-2). Loss - Maloney (3-3). Save - None.
