Baseball Earns Split With Franklin Pierce; Crowley's Home Run Gives Team 5-3 Win

SMITHFIELD, RI -  Daryle Crowley's two-run home run off Franklin Pierce reliever Todd Gilmore in the seventh inning gave Bryant a 5-3 win, earning a doubleheader split with the 29th-ranked Ravens here Monday afternoon.  Franklin Pierce got a strong outing from pitcher Tyler Cummings and a home run from Bryant Duplisse to win the opener 10-3, but the Bulldogs came back with two home runs of their own and capitalized on a strong pitching performance from sophomore Matt Gaynor to salvage the nightcap.

In the first game, Franklin Pierce (25-12, 19-9 NE-10) scored five runs in the second and added three more in the seventh to roll 10-3.  Cummings earned his second complete game win of the season, allowing just three runs on eight Bryant hits while striking out seven to improve to 5-3 on the season. 

Duplisse's two-run home run to left highlighted the seven-hit second inning for Franklin Pierce as the Ravens took a 6-0 lead into the third before Bryant would answer with three runs in the bottom of the third, keyed by a two-run single by Paul Novakowski. But that would be all for the Bulldogs as Cummings retired the final seven batters to pick up the win.

In the second game, Franklin Pierce scored three runs in the top of the first, thanks to another home run by Duplisse to center field.  But from there, Bryant's Gaynor would settle down and hold the Ravens to just four hits over the final eight innings to improve to 6-3 on the season. 
Bryant (20-17, 14-11 NE-10) tied the game at 3-3 thanks to a two-run home run by Novakowski with Crowley following an inning later with his second home run of the season to give the Bulldogs the win. 

Bryant will host Assumption College Tuesday for a makeup game (2 p.m.) and Stonehill on Wednesday (3:30 p.m.).
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