Baseball falls to URI, 10-3

RAMS SNAP BRYANT'S WINNING STREAK WITH 10-3 VICTORY

KINGSTON, R.I. – The University of Rhode Island scored eight runs over the course of two innings and the Bryant University baseball team stranded 12 runners in a 10-3 non-conference loss Wednesday afternoon at Bill Beck Field.

The loss snapped the Bulldogs' (17-14, 10-2 NEC) five-game winning streak and gave the Rams (18-14, 6-3 A-10) their third victory in the all-time series.

After going quietly in their first at-bat, the Rams awoke over the next two innings. Pat Quinn walked and Pat Fortunato singled to start a one-out rally in the second and Quinn scored URI's first run as the Bulldogs threw away a ground ball hit by Kevin Stenhouse. Dan Haverstick followed with a two-run double into the right field corner.

URI kept the bats going in the third, starting the inning with five-straight singles to chase Bryant starter Brian O'Neil (North Reading, Mass.). Fortunato made it 4-0 with a line-drive single to center, Stenhouse greeted reliever Trevor Lacosse (Watervliet, N.Y.) with an RBI single to right and a sixth run scored as Haverstick was hit by a pitch. The Rams tacked on two more runs as the Bulldogs mishandled two ground balls to take an 8-0 lead after three innings.

Bryant threatened in each of the first four innings until finally breaking through in the fourth. Senior Jamie Skagerlind (Holden, Mass.) started the inning with a double to right-center, junior Adam Claire (Litchfield, Conn.) walked and freshman Matt Zanotta (Schenectady, N.Y.) was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Freshman Jordan Mountford (Guelph, Ont.) followed with a ground ball to first that scored two as the return throw to first sailed wide. Bryant had a chance for more in the inning but reliever Ty Sterner induced a fly to right to leave the bases loaded.

The Bulldogs had a golden chance to get on the board in the third but left the bases loaded. Zanotta, Mountford and senior Mike DelPonte (Tewksbury, Mass.) all walked to load the bases with one out but URI starter Kevin Lee got a pop out to short and a strikeout to end the inning.

Bryant inched closer in the sixth as DelPonte plated a run with a ground out. Mountford ripped his first career double with one out, senior Connor Carignan (Norwich, Conn.) moved him to third with a single to left and DelPonte scored him with an infield chopper.

URI capped the scoring with a pair of unearned runs in the seventh. Haverstick singled to start the inning and scored on a throwing error on a Jeff Roy ground ball. Roy would eventually steal third and score on another throwing error to make it 10-3.

Mountford finished with an RBI and a run scored and freshman John Mullen (Walpole, Mass.) extended his hitting streak to seven games with a single in the fifth and a double in the ninth. Lacosse and sophomore Jonathan Cohen (Norwalk, Conn.) combined to limit URI to one unearned run on four hits over four innings of relief. Freshman Carl Anderson (Sudbury, Mass.) made his first career appearance on the mound in the seventh, allowing two unearned runs. Sophomore Bryan Menduke (Oakland, N.J.) pitched a scoreless eighth and has now recorded four consecutive scoreless innings.

Lee allowed two runs (one earned) on just one hit over 3 2/3 innings but walked seven and hit two others. Sterner, Bobby Dean and Joe Landi combined to hold the Bulldogs to one run on five hits over 5 1/3 innings of relief.

Bryant returns to Northeast Conference play with a four-game series against Sacred Heart starting on Friday, April 13 at Conaty Park. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.