Bulldogs drop series finale to NM State on Sunday

LAS CRUCES, N.M. – Sophomore Nick Angelini (Bedford, N.H.) hit a pair of home runs but New Mexico State used an eight-run second inning to hand the Bryant University baseball team a 20-7 loss in the series finale on Sunday afternoon at Presley Askew Field.

The Bulldogs (2-2) walked 11 batters and committed four errors in the loss, while the Aggies (2-2) received six solid innings from starter Marcel Renteria. The 20 runs are the most allowed by the Bulldogs in Division I program history and the first time they have allowed 20+ runs since May 4, 2008.

Bryant got off to a good start on Sunday, scoring in each of the first two innings. Angelini gave the Bulldogs the lead two batters into the game as he drove a fastball over the right-center field fence for his first home run of the game.  

In the second, freshman Gaby Cruz (Miami, Fla.) worked a walk and came all the way around to score on a two-out double from junior Malik Daley (Northborough, Mass.). Daley nearly had his first-career home run but the ball hit off the top of the right field fence.

Things fell apart in the bottom of the second, however, as the Aggies scored eight runs on just two hits to take a commanding lead. After a pair of walks, Brent Sakurai hit a routine fly ball to left field that got lost in the sun and fell for an RBI single. Things went downhill from there as a walk and an infield error brought home the tying run. A hit batter gave the Aggies the lead and Dan Hetzel capped the big inning with a three-run home run to right center.

The Aggies went on to add a run in the third and five more runs in the fourth. Mason Fishback hit a two-run home run and Austin Botello delivered a two-run single to key the big inning.

Bryant got a run back in the fifth as Angelini doubled off the top of the right field wall before coming around to score on a single to left from junior Mickey Gasper (Merrimack, N.H.).

NM State tacked on two more runs in the sixth to make it 16-3. LJ Hatch brought home Greg Popylisen (single) and Botello (BB) with a two-run double to right center.

Angelini's second home run of the game came in the seventh inning. He demolished a fastball over the center field fence and into the trees.

The Aggies closed out their scoring with two runs in the seventh and two runs in the eighth. Joey Oritz delivered a sac fly and Popylisen plated a run with a fielder's choice in the seventh. Sakurai hit a two-run home run in the eighth.

Bryant plated three runs in the eighth thanks to senior Cole Fabio's (Mahwah, N.J.) first home run of the year. Senior Zane Smith (Ilion, N.Y.) and Cruz singled to open the inning, and Fabio crushed a three-run home run into the trees in left.

Freshman Chris Wright (Cumberland, R.I.) made his first-career start on the mound for the Bulldogs, allowing five runs (four earned) in just 1 1/3 innings. He allowed just one hit, walked three and struck out one. Redshirt-freshman Mason Palmieri (Lincoln, R.I.) struck out two over 1 1/3 innings of relief and freshman Jack Ipsen (Eatontown, N.J.) tossed 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief. Bryant used eight different pitchers in the game.

Angelini and Gasper both finished with three hits, while Angelini drove in two and scored three times.

Renteria allowed three runs on seven hits, walked one and struck out five over six innings to earn the win for the Aggies. Hetzel finished with three RBI and three runs scored and the bottom five batters in the Aggie lineup combined for 10 RBI and 12 runs scored.

The Bulldogs open a three-game series against Arkansas in Fayetteville, Ark., on Friday, Feb. 24. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.