March 30, 2009

BASEBALL LOOKS TO KEEP WINNING STREAK ALIVE WITH HOME GAMES AGAINST MAINE AND BROWN THIS WEEK; TRAVEL TO PLAY NYIT IN WEEKEND SERIES

March 30, 2009

BASEBALL LOOKS TO KEEP WINNING STREAK ALIVE WITH HOME GAMES AGAINST MAINE AND BROWN THIS WEEK; TRAVEL TO PLAY NYIT IN WEEKEND SERIES

SMITHFIELD, R.I. - The Bryant University baseball team added a pair of home games this week, taking on Maine on Tuesday and Brown on Thursday at the Bryant Baseball Complex. The team will then make a weekend trip to New York to take on NJIT and NYIT over the weekend. Bryant is coming off a four-game sweep over the weekend of the Blackbirds of Long Island, outscoring LIU 28-12 in the series to extend their winning streak to a season-high six games.

COMEBACK KIDS
The Bulldogs came up with two wins in their final at-bat of the contest as part of the four-game sweep over Long Island this past weekend, starting in the first game of the series on Friday, as Pat McKenna (Orange, Conn.) hit a two-out, solo blast in the top of the seventh inning to tie the game at 1-1. The Bulldogs went on to score two more runs with two outs, as Nick Campbell (Raynham, Mass.) drove in the go-ahead run with a single, and Jeff Vigurs (South Windsor, Conn.) plated an insurance run with a single of his own. Vigurs was the hero on Saturday in game one of another twin bill, coming up with a two run homer with one out in the ninth, turning a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 lead for the Bulldogs. The junior finished the series with the one homer and five RBI, while McKenna had two longballs and six RBI to lead the team. Pat O'Connor (Mattapoisett, Mass.) led the squad at the plate with eight hits in 15 at-bats against the Blackbirds, good for a .533 batting average. The senior posted the first five-hit performance for a Bulldog this year in the second game of a doubleheader on Friday. Mark Andrews (Hillsborough, N.J.) recorded two more saves on the weekend while Kevin Cobb (Acton, Mass.), Dan Lozeau (Pelham, N.H.), John Michael Ryan (Worcester, Mass.) and Brent Almeida (Fairhaven, Mass.) all recorded wins.

WELCOME TO CLUB 200
Junior Nick Campbell hit a double down the right field line in the sixth inning in the first game against Monmouth on March 20, giving him 200 hits for his career. Campbell is just the sixth player all-time in the history of the program to register 200 hits for his career, and he is only in his junior season.

ENTER SANDMAN
Mark Andrews has gone a perfect seven-for-seven in save opportunities this year, shutting out opponents in his last 9.2 innings of work. Since a rough outing in his first appearance against Mercer, the sophomore closer has been lights out, giving up only seven hits while striking out 11 in 12.2 innings.

ON-BASE MACHINE
Jeff Vigurs enters this week with streak of 24-straight games reaching base safely. The junior had a team-best 17 game hitting streak earlier this season, and currently leads the team with a .374 average and is third with an on-base percentage of .415. Vigurs has shown his power this year, leading the team with 10 doubles and 37 RBI, while ranking second with six home runs.

CAPTAIN CLUTCH
Senior captain Pat McKenna homered in three-straight games last week, hitting a three-run bomb against URI on Wednesday before hitting the game-tying solo shot on Friday against Long Island in game one, and another three-run homer in game two. The senior has a five-game hit streak entering play this week, hitting the three home runs to go with nine RBI in that stretch, all Bulldog wins.

SIGH OF RELIEF
The Bryant bullpen went through an 11-game stretch without surrendering an earned run, spanning from March 17 until March 28, before allowing one against Long Island on Saturday. Head coach Jamie Pinzino used seven different pitchers out of the ‘pen in that stretch, going 22.1 innings and allowing 15 hits while striking out 22. Opponents hit just .200 against the Bryant relievers in the 11-game period, totaling 15 hits in 75 at-bats.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Maine (12-10)
The Black Bears of Maine make a stop in Smithfield after finishing a three-game series with Wagner on Monday. The squad fell, 5-4, in the first game of the series to the Seahawks on Friday before having the next three games postponed thanks to rain over the weekend, forcing the teams to play a doubleheader on Monday afternoon. Ian Leisenheimer has been the best at the plate for Maine, leading the team in average and RBI, batting .400 while driving in 19 runs. Bill Cather is right behind him, hitting .386 while starting in all 22 games for the Black Bears.

Brown (6-11)
The Bears from Brown University visit the Bryant Baseball Complex for one game on Thursday afternoon. Brown plays a doubleheader with URI on Tuesday before finishing their Rhode Island swing in Smithfield. Matt Nuzzo leads the team in average (.368), doubles (8) and RBI (18). Mark Gormley has the most wins on the mound with two, posting a 5.81 ERA in four starts.

NYIT (4-15)
The Bears of New York Tech play a pair of games this week, as they host Fordham and travel to St. John's before hosting the Bulldogs for a three-game set on Saturday and Sunday. NYIT has lost three in a row coming into this week. The Bears are led by Brian Smith at the dish, hitting .360 with one home run and six RBI in 19 games. Preston Wasmund has posted a 2.86 ERA in three starts, recording one win and one complete game on the year.

FOLLOW THE BULLDOGS
Follow the Bryant baseball team as they take on Maine and Brown at home this week through game tracker here.