Bulldogs defeat URI, 6-5, Wednesday in windy Kingston

KINGSTON, R.I. – Matt Albanese (East Haddam, Conn.), Robby Rinn (Warwick, R.I.) and Brandon Bingel (Peabody, Mass.) combined for six hits, five RBI and four runs scored as the Bryant University baseball team defeated the University of Rhode Island, 6-5, on Wednesday afternoon at Bill Beck Field.

The Bulldogs (17-5) have now won three-straight games and improved to 7-4 all-time against the Rams (9-13). Bryant out-hit URI, 9-8, but committed a season-high four errors.

Bryant trailed 2-0 after four innings but used a three-run fifth to take the lead for good. Senior Buck McCarthy (Saugus, Mass.) and Dan Cellucci (Sudbury, Mass.) opened the inning with back-to-back singles. Junior Cole Fabio (Mahwah, N.J.) then flew out to right field wall for the second out, advancing both runners into scoring position. Albanese then worked a four-pitch walk from URI reliever Brad Applin to load the bases and McCarthy raced home with the first run of the inning on a wild pitch. Rinn gave Bryant its first lead as he roped a two-run triple into the left field corner to make it 3-2.

The Black and Gold extended their lead with two two-out runs in the seventh. Albanese extended his hitting streak to 13 games with a two-out single up the middle before stealing second. The Rams then intentionally walked Rinn to face Bingel. He made them pay, hitting the first pitch of the at-bat off the base of the wall in right center to score two runs and make it 5-2.

URI inched closer with a single run in the eighth. Hess walked to open the inning, took second on a wild pitch and advanced to third on a balk. Chase Livingston then beat out a ground ball to short score Hess from third to make it 5-3.

Bryant quickly responded as Albanese opened the ninth with a triple into the right field corner. Rinn quickly brought him home with a sac fly to left field to make it 6-3.

The Rams didn't go down without a fight, plating two runs in the bottom of the ninth. A leadoff error and an error put the first two runners on before Justin Snyder (Georgetown, Mass.) rebounded to strikeout the next two batters. Back-to-back infield errors brought home two runs, however, before Snyder was able to close the door with a strikeout.

URI was the first on the board Wednesday, scoring single runs in the first and third. In the first, Chris Hess reached on a fielder's choice and went around to third on a single from Ryan Olmo. Martin Figueroa then hit a flare to left that Bingel caught with a slide. Hess, however, was able to tag and score from third to give the Rams the lead.

URI extended its lead in the third on another RBI from Figueroa. Olmo singled with two outs, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on a sharp single to center from Figueroa.  

The Black and Gold used Wednesday as a staff day as senior James Davitt (Wallingford, Conn.) and freshman Steve Theetge (Cicero, N.Y.) made their first appearances in 18 days. Davitt started and allowed a run in one inning of work. Theetge allowed one run on three hits and struck out two in two innings of work.

Bryant's bullpen then went to work as Oliver Powers (Newtown, Conn.) and Michael Marshall (Maynard, Mass.) each worked two scoreless innings. They combined to allow just two hits and strikeout four in four innings. Powers earned his second win of the season. Logan Lessard (Cromwell, Conn.) and Snyder finished the game with an inning each, with Snyder earning his fourth save of the year.

Albanese finished 2-for-4 with three runs scored, Rinn went 2-for-3 with three RBI and Bingel had two doubles and two RBI.

Blaise Whitman pitched well for URI to start, allowing two runs on four hits over 4 2/3 innings. Applin suffered the loss, surrendering a run in the fifth. Figueroa drove in two runs and Hess scored two runs for the Rams.

The Bulldogs return to Northeast Conference play this weekend as they travel to Teaneck, N.J., for a four-game series with Fairleigh Dickinson. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. on Friday.