Baseball trio sweeps NEC weekly awards; Karinchak earns NEIBA, ECAC honors

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University baseball trio of Matt Albanese (East Haddam, Conn.), James Karinchak (Walden, N.Y.) and Nick Angelini (Bedford, N.H.) swept the weekly Northeast Conference awards announced by the league office on Monday afternoon.

It is the second time this season the Black and Gold have swept the weekly awards. It is the second NEC Player of the Week honor for Albanese, the third NEC Pitcher of the Week honor for Karinchak and the second NEC Rookie of the Week honor for Angelini. The trio helped the Bulldogs win both games of a weather-shortened series against LIU Brooklyn. In addition, Karinchak earned his second NEIBA Pitcher of the Week honor and his first ECAC Pitcher of the Week. 

Albanese went just 2-for-6 in the two games but both hits were key home runs. He finished two RBI, three runs scored, two walks, a stolen base and a .500 OBP. In the first game of the series, he went back-to-back with Cole Fabio (Mahwah, N.J.) to open up the game and give Bryant a 2-0 lead. On Saturday, he once again homered in the first, tying the game at 1-1. Albanese then walked, stole second and scored on an error two innings later to give Bryant the lead for good.

Karinchak was dominant in Friday's opener, blanking the Blackbirds on three hits over a career-high eight innings. He surrendered just three singles, walked two and struck out seven to improve to 5-1 on the year. Karinchak didn't allow a hit until the sixth inning in the contest.

Angelini hit .800 (4-for-5) with an .833 OBP in the two games against LIU Brooklyn. He was retired in the second inning of the opener but the Blackbirds were unable to get him out the rest of the weekend. Angelini singled twice and also stole a base on Friday. On Saturday, he went 2-for-2 with a home run and three RBI. With Bryant leading 2-1 in the sixth, Angelini gave the Bulldogs some breathing room with a three-run home run to left center.

The Bulldogs are back in action this Wednesday when they face in-state rival the University of Rhode Island. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. in Kingston.