Angelini's big day lifts Bryant past Brown, 14-6

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Senior Nick Angelini (Bedford, N.H.), redshirt sophomore Jimmy Titus (Stafford, Conn.) and freshman Vincenzo Castronovo (Utica, N.Y.) all homered as the Bryant University baseball team powered its way to a 14-6 victory over Brown in the first game of a midweek home-and-home series on Tuesday at Attanasio Family Field at Murray Stadium.

With the win, head coach Steve Owens earned his 300th victory at Bryant. He is just the second coach in program history to accomplish the feat, joining Jon Sjogren (359). Owens is 300-173-2 (.634) in eight-plus seasons in Smithfield.

Angelini continued his offensive tear with a home run, three RBI and two runs scored, Titus homered for the fourth time in five games and Castronovo clubbed his first-career home run as part of the five-run seventh. Junior Chris Wright (Cumberland, R.I.) chipped in two hits and two RBI.

On the mound, sophomore Matthew Stansky (Douglas, Mass.) allowed one unearned run over a season-high 2 1/3 innings of relief to earn his first win of the year. Redshirt junior Mason Palmieri (Lincoln, R.I.) struck out three over 1 2/3 perfect innings of relief.   

Game Information
Bryant 14, Brown 6
Records: Bryant (13-9), Brown (4-14)
Location: Attanasio Family Field at Murray Stadium (Providence, R.I.)
W|L|S: Matthew Stansky (1-0) | Dustin Baird (0-1)

Coach Owens' Comments

"We had a really big offensive day from Nick Angelini. He was awesome. Big three-run home run from Cez in a key moment and another home run from Jimmy. Guys got on base and created opportunities. Matt Stansky and Mason Palmieri did a really solid job out of the bullpen. Mason's two strikeouts were a huge turning point. He got out of it and we were able to put together a big inning. We'll get home, go to class and get ready to do it again tomorrow."

Key Moments

• After Bryant took a 4-2 lead in the top of the fourth, Brown scored a run and had runners on second and third with no outs in the bottom half of the inning. Stansky got a ground ball to first for the first out and then a hit by pitch turned into a called strike three for the second out. After a walk, Stansky stranded the bases loaded with a pop out.
• In the fifth and Bryant leading 4-3, Palmieri entered with a man on second and one out and struck out back-to-back batters to keep Bryant ahead. The Bulldogs scored five times in the next half inning.        

How it Happened

• Bryant grabbed a 2-0 lead in the top of the first as Wright delivered a two-strike, two-out, two-run single through the right side.
• Brown tied the game in the bottom of the third. Joe Lomuscio led off the inning with a home run to left center before a walk and two singles loaded the bases. Stansky got a fly ball to right for the first out but a baserunning mistake turned into a positive for the Bears, tying the score at 2-2.
• The Black and Gold quickly regained the lead in the top of the fourth as Angelini whistled a two-run home run over the wall in left center.
• Brown took advantage of a Bryant error in the fourth, scoring on a Lomuscio single to center.
• In the sixth, a single and two walks loaded the bases and Angelini nearly cleared them. His drive to left hit the top of the wall, though, giving him a long RBI single. A wild pitch scored a second run and Castronovo brought home the final three as he walloped a 3-2 offering over the wall in right center for his first-career home run.
• Titus hit his fourth home run in five games, a drive to dead center, to leadoff the seventh and make it 10-3.
• Bryant added two more runs in the eighth as juniors Bryan Hart (Franklin, Mass.) and James Ciliento (Mahwah, N.J.) both recorded hits and came around to score. Hart scored on a ground out from Titus and Ciliento ended up scoring on the same play after an error.
• In the ninth, Angelini doubled to set up an RBI single from Hart to and Ciliento then beat out an infield single to make it 14-4.

Stats

• Bryant outhit Brown, 13-10.
• Ciliento had two hits, an RBI and a run scored.
• Titus finished 1-for-4 with a home run, two RBI and two runs scored.
• Redshirt sophomore Ryan Ward (Millbury, Mass.) went 2-for-4 with a double.
• Wright finished 2-for-4 with two RBI.
• Angelini went 3-for-5 with a double, a home run, three RBI and three runs scored.
• Castronovo homered and drove in three.
• Hart finished 2-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored.  
• Sophomore Tyler Schoff (Lee Center, N.Y.) started and allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits over two-plus innings. He walked three and struck out one.
• Stansky allowed one unearned run on four hits, walked one and struck out one over 2 1/3 innings.
• Palmieri struck out three of the five batters he faced in relief.
• Freshman Jackson Harrigan (Acton, Mass.) tossed a scoreless seventh.
• Redshirt sophomore Nash Eppard (Essex, Conn.) pitched the final two innings.

Notes and Notables

• Bryant improves to 10-6 in the Division I history between the programs.
• The Bulldogs have now scored 10+ runs in four of their last five games and six times this year.
• Head coach Steve Owens earned his 300th victory with the Bulldogs.
• Ward has hit safely in 11-straight games and has 22 hits during the streak.
• Angelini has now had a hit and a run scored in each of Bryant's last eight games.
• Angelini's home run was his 16th career home run. He's now tied for sixth in DI program history.
• Angelini now has 190 career hits, sixth-most in DI program history.
• Angelini now has three-straight three-hit games, five-straight multi-hit games and has hit safely in each of his last eight.
• Titus has now hit four home runs in the last five games and has a team-high six on the year. He has 14 career home runs.
• Titus has now driven in 16 runs in the last five games.
• Ciliento has now hit safely in each of his last 11 games.
• Stansky earned his first win since March 20, 2018.
• Palmieri struck out a season-high three batters.  

Up Next

Bryant and Brown wrap up their home-and-home on Wednesday afternoon at Conaty Park. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.