Karinchak, Patterson strike out 15 as Bulldogs win opener, 6-3

NEW BRITAIN, Conn. – Juniors James Karinchak (Walden, N.Y.) and Jack Patterson (Suffield, Conn.) combined to strikeout 15 batters as the Bryant University baseball team earned a 6-3 victory over Central Connecticut in the first game of a Northeast Conference series on Friday afternoon at the CCSU Baseball Field.

With the win, the Bulldogs (16-19, 9-2 NEC) extend their lead over the Blue Devils (19-15, 10-4) atop the league standings.

Bryant opened the scoring in the third, scoring four runs in the blink of an eye. The Bulldogs' Mahwah boys, freshman James Ciliento (Mahwah, N.J.) and senior Cole Fabio (Mahwah, N.J.), opened the inning with a single and a double, respectively. Two pitches later, it was 4-0. Sophomore Nick Angelini (Bedford, N.H.) hit a two-run single up the middle on the first pitch and junior Mickey Gasper (Merrimack, N.H.) sent the very next pitch over the wall in right center for a two-run homer.

The Blue Devils got right back into the game with three runs in the bottom of the fourth. An infield single and two walks quickly loaded the bases with no outs. Nick Garland plated the first run with a fielder's choice and Dean Lockery scored two with a two-out single to center to make it 4-3. A ground ball to second ended the Blue Devil threat.

The Bulldogs didn't waste time responding as they stroked three doubles in the top of the fifth to score two runs. Angelini and Gasper ripped back-to-back doubles to open the inning and freshman Jimmy Titus (Stafford, Conn.) brought in a second run with a double to left center three batters later.

Karinchak lasted just five innings for the Bulldogs due to an elevated pitch count. He allowed three runs on six hits, walked four and struck out 10 but threw 105 pitches. Karinchak struck out two in the first, two in the second and four in the third (one reached on an error). It is the third time this season he has struck out 10+ batters in a game and the second time he's done it in as few as five innings. Karinchak is now 5-0 against CCSU in his career.

Patterson did the rest, pitching four scoreless innings of relief to earn his third save in the last two weeks. He surrendered just one hit, walked three and struck out five on the afternoon. Patterson's only trouble came in the seventh when he walked the bases loaded before getting a ground ball to second to end the threat.

Fabio, Angelini, Gasper, freshman Gaby Cruz (Miami, Fla.) and Ciliento all finished with two hits. Angelini had two RBI, two runs scored and two walks, while Gasper drove in three and scored twice.  

Mike Appel pitched the first six innings for CCSU, surrendering six runs on 11 hits. He walked two and struck out four on the afternoon. Kyle Anderson, Tom Curtin and Nick Plachno combined to pitch the final three innings. Mitch Guilmette had two hits for CCSU, while Franklin Jennings reaching four times with a hit and three walks.

The Bulldogs and Blue Devils continue their series on Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at 1:00 p.m.