Bulldogs drop series finale to Arizona on Sunday

TUCSON, Ariz. – Freshman Sam Owens (Scituate, R.I.) had two hits and drove in a run in his first-career start but the University of Arizona used three big innings to earn a 10-1 victory and complete a weekend sweep of the Bryant University baseball team Sunday afternoon at Hi Corbett Field.

GAME INFORMATION

Bryant 1, Arizona 10

Records: Bryant (0-3), Arizona (3-0)

Location: Hi Corbett Field (Tucson, Ariz.)

W|L: Avery Weems (1-0) | Vito Morgese (0-1)

COACH OWENS'S COMMENTS

"Matt Stansky was really good, Justin [Snyder] pitched well after the first couple of batters and Sam Owens played very well being thrust into a tough position having to start at short. We didn't get the job done on the mound or at the plate when we had opportunities early in the game."

KEY MOMENT

• The Wildcats were able to score four runs on just two hits to put the game away in the third. After a walk loaded the bases, a sac fly and three-straight bases-loaded walks scored Arizona's four runs.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Arizona wasted little time, scoring three times in the bottom of the first. Cal Stevenson singled and Mitchell Morimoto doubled to open the game, and Alfonso Rivas made it 1-0 with a sac fly. Cam Cannon and Cesar Salazar completed the inning with a pair of two-out RBI singles.
• The Bulldogs responded with a run in the top of the second. Sophomore James Ciliento (Mahwah, N.J.) and redshirt-junior Nolan Hayward (Glendale, R.I.) opened the inning with back-to-back singles and both advanced on a sac bunt from sophomore Bryan Hart (Franklin, Mass.). Owens then drilled a 2-0 pitch into right field for his first-career hit and first-career RBI. A double play ended any further rally.
• The Wildcats were able to chase Bryant starter Vito Morgese (Warwick, N.Y.) in the third after back-to-back one-out singles. A walk loaded the bases and was followed by a sac fly to score the first run of the inning. After a hit batter reloaded the bases, three-straight walks scored the final three runs of the inning.
• Arizona threatened again in the fourth but redshirt-junior Justin Snyder (Georgetown, Mass.) was able to pitch out of trouble. Nick Quintana doubled and moved to third with one out but Snyder induced a shallow fly to center and a fly ball to right to strand him.
• The Wildcats turned their second double play of the afternoon to stall a Bryant rally in the fifth. Owens doubled, junior Nick Angelini (Bedford, N.H.) walked but Weems induced an inning-ending 4-6-3 double play.
• Arizona capped its scoring with three runs in the eighth. Three walks loaded the bases and Quintana brought in the first run with a single to left. Cannon then drove in two more with a double down the third base line.

STATS

• Bryant walked eight batters and hit two others in the game.
• Morgese was saddled with the loss on Sunday after allowing five runs on six hits over 2 1/3 innings. He struck out three and didn't walk a batter.
• Snyder tossed 2 1/3 scoreless innings of relief. He allowed one hit, walked two and struck out one.
• Freshman Matthew Stansky (Douglas, Mass.) tossed two scoreless innings of relief in his collegiate debut. He retired six of the seven batters he faced.
• Owens went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI in his first-career start.
• Ciliento went 2-for-4 and scored Bryant's only run.
• Weems earned the win for Arizona, tossing 5 2/3 innings of one-run ball. He walked two and struck out three.
• Quintana finished 4-for-5 with two doubles, while Salazar drove in two for Arizona.

GAME NOTES

• Bryant falls to 0-3 against Arizona and 0-7 against the Pac-12 at the Division I level.
• The Bulldogs are 9-19-1 in the month of February the last six years.
• Bryant played error-free baseball for the first time this season.
• Ciliento reached safely in all three games of the series and has reached safely in 10-straight games dating back to last season. It is the longest stretch of his career.
• Ciliento finished the weekend 5-for-10 and reached safely seven times.  
• Snyder was making his first appearance since March 18, 2017. He missed the rest of the 2017 season with an injury.

UP NEXT

Bryant heads south next weekend for a three-game series against Auburn. The series opens on Friday at 6:00 p.m. EST.