Bryant baseball sweeps first NEC weekly awards

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Off to its best start in program history, the Bryant University baseball team swept the first Northeast Conference weekly awards that were announced on Monday afternoon.

Senior first baseman Robby Rinn (Warwick, R.I.) picks up player of the week honors, sophomore James Karinchak (Walden, N.Y.) garners pitcher of the week honors and freshman Nick Angelini (Bedford, N.H.) completes the sweep with rookie of the week honors. The trio have helped the Black and Gold to a 6-1 start.

Rinn enjoyed a monster weekend in San Diego, going 8-for-12 with three doubles, four RBI and four runs scored in the Tony Gwynn Classic. Over the first seven games, Rinn is hitting a team-leading .406 with six RBI and six runs scored. He opened up the Tony Gwynn Classic with two doubles and three RBI in a victory over host San Diego State, and wrapped up the weekend by going 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored in a win over No. 22 Kentucky.

Karinchak has been outstanding in his first two starts of 2016, going 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA in 12 innings. He has allowed two runs on nine hits, walked two and struck out 13 so far this season. Karinchak struck out seven in six scoreless innings on opening day vs. Army before baffling San Diego State over six solid innings last Friday.

Angelini made the most of his third-career start on Sunday against No. 22 Kentucky, collecting his first-career hit and first-career home run while finishing 2-for-2 with three RBI and two runs scored. He singled up the middle in the fourth and came around to score before belting a three-run home run off the left field foul pole in the fifth to make it a 7-1 game.

The Bulldogs return to action this weekend when they open a three-game series with George Mason on Friday, March 4 at 2:30 p.m.