March 9, 2009
BULLDOGS SHOCK HOKIES, 7-5; BEAT RADFORD, 5-4, TO EXTEND WIN STREAK TO FIVE
Boxscore vs.
Virginia Tech
Boxscore vs. Radford
BLACKSBURG, VA. - Senior catcher Jeff Vigurs (Windsor Locks, Conn.) went two-for-three with three RBI to lead the Bryant University baseball team past ACC powerhouse Virginia Tech, 7-5, Monday afternoon in game one of a double-header for the Bulldogs. Arguably the biggest Division I win for any Bryant team, it was the first victory for the program over a BCS school. The squad turned around in the second game and beat Radford, 5-4, for their fifth-straight win, improving to 5-0 on their spring break trip.
The Bulldogs (5-2) used a four-run first inning to put the home team back on their heels. Pat McKenna (Orange, Conn.) led off the inning with a single and Dylan Stone (Portsmouth, R.I.) followed with a bunt single to put two on with no outs. Nick Campbell (Raynham, Mass.) bunted the two runners over, setting up an RBI groundout by Pat O'Connor (Mattapoisett, Mass.). With two outs, Vigurs drove single to right field to score a run before Jamie Skagerlind (Holden, Mass.) hit a two-run inside the park homerun. The shot by Skagerlind was almost caught by Hokie centerfielder Klint Reed, as the ball popped out of his glove after crashing into the center field fence. Reed would be treated and continue in the game.
Mike Kiminski got Virginia Tech (9-4) on the board with a homer in the second off of Bryant senior starting pitcher Dan Lozeau (Pelham, N.H.). Lozeau was solid while picking up the win, going 6.1 innings while allowing six hits, four runs and striking out two.
Bryant responded with two in the top of the third on Vigurs' second homerun of the season, hitting a blast down the right field line with two outs to give the Bulldogs a 6-1 advantage. The senior had all three RBI with two outs in the contest.
After the teams traded runs in the fifth to make the score 7-2, Lozeau ran into his first trouble of the day in the seventh. The senior gave up a single to Reed and walked Michael Seaborn to start the inning. After retiring Wates on a fly to left, Matt Griswold (Berlin, Conn.) replaced Lozeau, and was greeted by back-to-back singles from first baseman Anthony Sosnoskie and Domecus. Domecus' base knock produced two runs, cutting the deficit to 7-4.
A Seaborn longball in the bottom of the ninth would inch the Hokies a little closer, but Griswold would get Wates and Sonoskie to ground out to end the game, and give the Bulldogs a signature victory.
With little time in between games, Bryant was able to make a quick turnaround, winning their fourth game in two days and fifth in a row with a, 5-4, victory over Radford.
Vigurs started right where he left off in game one, stroking a single into right field with two outs in the first to give the Bulldogs an early, 1-0, lead. The senior catcher leads the team with 20 RBI already on the year.
Tommy Baker (West Brookfield, Mass.) got his first win of the season, going 5.2 innings, striking out two and giving up six hits and three runs. The Highlanders touched him for just one run in the second, third and sixth innings before he was lifted with two outs in the bottom of the sixth for freshman reliever Brian O'Neil (North Reading, Mass.).
Robert Lamas evened the score in the second with an RBI single up the middle. But Bryant responded in the third, taking a 2-1 lead on a ground out by O'Connor. The senior captain had three RBI in the game, going one-for-three.
The teams traded runs in the fourth, as Skagerlind hit his second homerun of the day for the Bulldogs in the top of the inning, giving the black and gold a 3-2 edge. The first baseman was one-for-four on the day.
O'Connor came up big in the fifth, opening up the lead with a two-run double with one out in the frame, giving the Bulldogs a 5-2 lead.
After Baker allowed a run in the sixth on a Rick Hoogstraten RBI single with two, O'Neil was brought in to get the final out of the inning with runners on first and second. The right-hander got Brett Mollenhauer to fly out to center to end the threat with the Bulldogs in front, 5-3.
The teams went scoreless in the seventh and eighth innings, with the Bulldogs taking a two-run lead into the bottom of the ninth. Junior Tyren Rivers got the Highlanders within one after hitting a solo blast off O'Neil to lead-off the ninth. Head coach Jamie Pinzino then made the move to bring in sophomore left-hander Mark Andrews (Hillsborough, N.J.) to get the final three outs. Andrews came up big, getting three-straight groundouts to second base to pick up the save and clinch the Bulldogs fifth win in a row, sweeping a double-header against two quality opponents.
Bryant continues its trip through Virginia, opening up a three-game series with the University of Richmond Tuesday afternoon (2 p.m.).
Game 1
Bryant 7, Virginia Tech 5 (Mar 09, 2009 at Blacksburg, VA)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Bryant.............. 402 010 000
- 7 8 0 (4-2)
Virginia Tech....... 010 010 201 - 5 9
3 (9-4)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: Bryant - Lozeau; Griswold(7). Virginia Tech - McDermott,
S; Fisher, B(5).
Win-Lozeau(1-0) Loss-McDermott, S(1-1) T-2:33
A-287
HR BRY - Vigurs; Skagerlind.
HR VT - Seaborn, M; Kaminski, M.
Weather: 68 and sunny
Game 2
Bryant 5, Radford 4 (3-9-09 at Blacksburg, Va.)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Bryant.............. 101 120 000 - 5 9
2 (5-2)
Radford............. 010 101 001 - 4 8
2 (4-6)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: Bryant - Baker; O'Neil(6); Andrews(9). Radford -
WILLIAMS, A.; BEPPLER, M.(5).
Win-Baker(1-0) Save-Andrews(1) Loss-WILLIAMS,
A.(0-1) T-2:11 A-40
HR BRY - Skagerlind.
HR RAD - RIVERS, T. (2).
Weather: 65 degrees, clear
