Vito Power: Morgese, Bulldogs snap skid Wednesday

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Freshman Vito Morgese (Warwick, N.Y.) scattered six hits and struck out five over a career-high 6 2/3 innings to earn his first collegiate victory as the Bryant University baseball team defeated Brown, 7-2, on Wednesday afternoon at Murray Stadium.

With the win, the Bulldogs (4-17) snapped a 10-game losing streak. The Bears (6-8) have now lost back-to-back games after winning six straight.

Morgese provided just the start the Bulldogs needed, becoming the first starting pitcher to work into the sixth inning this season and only the second to pitch at least six innings. He allowed two runs on six hits, walked just one batter and struck out a career-high five. Morgese surrendered his only two runs in the second and finished his outing by retiring nine of the final 10 batters he faced.

The Bulldog offense gave Morgese all the run support he would need with a four-run first inning. Senior Cole Fabio (Mahwah, N.J.) walked, sophomore Nick Angelini (Bedford, N.H.) picked up an infield single and junior Mickey Gasper (Merrimack, N.H.) walked to load the bases. Two batters later, freshman Jimmy Titus (Stafford, Conn.) drove a fly ball off the top of the wall in right center for a bases-clearing double. Sophomore Tyler Panno (Rivervale, N.J.) followed with an RBI single to left to make it 4-0.

Brown cut the deficit in half in the second with its only two runs off Morgese. Garrett Delano singled to open the inning and came around to score on an RBI double from Jake Rosander. Rich Ciufo then plated Rosander with a single to left two batters later.

A pair of home runs sealed the victory for the Black and Gold. In the fifth, freshman Chris Wright (Cumberland, R.I.) launched a solo home run to right field, his third of the year. Gasper then capped the scoring by hitting a laser that carried over the right-center field wall for a two-run home run in the top of the ninth.

Sophomores Nathan Wrighter (Windsor, N.Y.) and Craig Lacey (Westfield, Mass.) combined to keep the Bears scoreless over the final 2 1/3 innings. Wrighter retired all four batters he faced and Lacey surrendered just a single in the ninth.

Angelini led the Black and Gold with three hits, while Fabio, Wright and Panno each chipped in two hits. Fabio and Gasper also finished the game with two runs scored.

Bobby Leyman, the first of seven Brown pitchers on the day, allowed four runs in the first to suffer the loss. Batting ninth, Ciufo was the only Bear to finish the game with multiple hits.

The Bulldogs begin Northeast Conference play this weekend when they welcome rival Sacred Heart to Conaty Park. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. on Friday.