Bulldogs sweep CCSU on Saturday

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Senior Craig Schlitter (Guilford, Conn.) tossed a five-hit shutout and freshman Matt Albanese (East Haddam, Conn.) collected five hits on the day to lead the Bryant University baseball team to 2-0 and 12-4 victories over Central Connecticut on Saturday afternoon at Conaty Park.

The Bulldogs (22-9, 3-0 NEC) have now won the first three games of the series with the Blue Devils (10-12, 2-5). Bryant has also won each of the last 12 meetings between the two schools.

GAME ONE

Schlitter (5-1) ran his personal win streak to three games over the Blue Devils with another dominate outing. He struck out seven, didn't walk a batter and allowed just one runner to reach second base. Schlitter scattered three hits over the first six innings before the first two Central hitters singled to start the seventh. He got a fielder's choice for the first out, struck out Connor Fitzsimons looking on a 3-2 pitch for the second out and induced a weak ground ball to short to end the game. Over his last three starts against the Blue Devils, Schlitter has allowed just one run on eight hits and struck out 20 in 20 innings.

Bryant gave Schlitter all the support he would need with a pair of runs in the first. Junior Carl Anderson (Sudbury, Mass.) and freshman Albanese opened the game with back-to-back singles and junior John Mullen (Walpole, Mass.) brought home the first run with a ground out. Classmate Jordan Mountford (Guelph, Ont.) made it 2-0 with a single inside the third base line.

Albanese and Rinn each finished the game with two hits.

GAME TWO

Senior Vaughn Hayward (Glendale, R.I.) struck out a career-high eight batters as the Bulldogs raced past the Blue Devils in game two.

After CCSU's Pat Sirois homered in the top of the first, the Bulldogs rallied with two runs in their first at bat. Freshman Cole Fabio (Mahwah, N.J.) singled, stole second, advanced to third on a ground out and came home to tie the game on a Mullen single to left. Mullen then stole second and came home to score on an Albanese single to center to give the Black and Gold a lead they wouldn't let go of.

The score remained the same until the Bulldogs posted five runs in the third. Fabio walked and Anderson and Mullen followed with back-to-back singles to bring home the first run. Albanese then drew a one-out walk to load the bases and Mountford laced a two-run single into left center. CCSU starter Anthony Mannuccia then uncorked two-straight wild pitches to plate the final two runs of the inning.

Bryant would go on to score two more runs in the fourth and a single run in the fifth. Rinn and Albanese delivered run-scoring singles in the fourth and Fabio plated junior Daniel St. George (Shelton, Conn.) with a single in the fifth.

Capping a strong day at the plate, Albanese ripped his second triple of the afternoon into the right field corner to score a pair and cap Bryant's scoring in the sixth.

Hayward allowed four runs (one earned) on five hits, walked three and struck out a career-high eight to improve to 6-1 on the year. After a tough first outing, Hayward has bounced back to win his last six decisions. He held the Blue Devils to just one run over the first four innings before a trio of errors led to three unearned runs in the fifth. Freshman Brandon Bingel (Peabody, Mass.) tossed two scoreless innings of relief and struck out two to close the door.

Albanese went 3-for-3 and tied a career-high with four RBI, while Fabio (2-3, 3R), Mullen (2-2, 3R, 2RBI) and Rinn (2-3, 1R, 1RBI) each finished with multiple hits.

The Bulldogs and Blue Devils wrap up their weekend series on Sunday with a 1:00 p.m. first pitch.