Palmieri, bullpen earn Bulldogs series win at GSU

DECATUR, Ga. – Graduate student Mason Palmieri (Lincoln, R.I.) struck out a career-high eight batters and the bullpen notched 4.1 scoreless innings of relief as the Bryant University baseball team earned a series victory over Georgia State with a 5-1 win on Sunday afternoon.

Palmieri fanned eight over 4.2 innings of one-run ball before handing the ball to his bullpen with two on in the fifth. Bryant's quartet of redshirt freshman Luke Garofalo (Middlefield, Conn.), sophomore John MacDonald (Stamford, Conn.), junior Matthew Stansky (Douglas, Mass.) and senior Jack Ipsen (Eatontown, N.J.) combined to surrender just three hits the rest of the way. Garofalo earned his first-career victory with 1.1 innings of scoreless relief in his collegiate debut.

Junior Shane Kelly (Sewell, N.J.) paced the offense with two hits and two RBI, while sophomore Jake Gustin (Peabody, Mass.), sophomore Matt Woods (Warwick, R.I.) and senior James Ciliento (Mahwah, N.J.) combined for four hits, four runs scored and three stolen bases.     

Game Information
Bryant 5, Georgia State 1
Records: Bryant (2-5), Georgia State (4-3)
Location: GSU Baseball Complex (Decatur, Ga.)
W|L|S: Luke Garofalo (1-0) | Tyler Koch (0-1)

Coach Klosterman's Comments

"It was great to see the offense get off to a great start in the first inning and then continue to add on with clutch two-out RBIs later in the game. I thought Mason set the tone on the mound early and then each of our bullpen arms followed suit and put up zeros. I'm proud of the way the guys continued to show up each day this weekend and take advantage of an opportunity to get better."

Key Moment

• Leading 3-1 in the fifth, Garofalo was summoned from the bullpen with runners on the corners and two outs. He proceeded to induce an inning-ending ground out to keep the Panthers off the board.  

How it Happened

• Bryant took advantage of Georgia State miscues to score three runs in the first inning on Sunday. A walk and a hit batter put the first two batters on and a passed ball advanced both. Ciliento brought home the first run with a perfectly placed bunt single and a second scored on an errant pickoff attempt. Kelly capped the inning with an RBI single to left.
• The Panthers answered with a run in the first. The leadoff batter singled and came around to score on a wild pitch with two outs.    
• GSU threatened in the fifth but Garofalo came on in relief to induce a ground out and strand runners on the corners.
• Bryant extended its lead in the very next inning. Freshman Tommy DiTullio (Pt. Pleasant, N.J.) and senior Bryan Hart (Franklin, Mass.) singled with two outs and DiTullio scored on a wild pitch to make it 4-1.
• The Bulldogs added an insurance run in the seventh as Woods singled, stole second and scored on a two-out single from Kelly.

Stats

• Palmieri allowed one run on three hits, walked four and struck out eight over 4.2 innings. He threw 99 pitches.
• Garofalo allowed two hits and struck out one over 1.1 innings of scoreless relief.
• MacDonald, Stansky and Ipsen all tossed scoreless innings. The trio combined to allow one hit and strike out four.
• Woods went 1-for-4 with a stolen base and two runs scored.
• Ciliento finished 1-for-4 with a walk, a run scored, an RBI and a stolen base.
• Gustin went 1-for-4 with a walk, a stolen base and a run scored.
• Kelly finished 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs.
• DiTullio reached twice and scored a run.
• Bryant outhit GSU, 8-6.

Notes and Notables

• Bryant won its first series of the season. The Bulldogs won 12-of-14 weekend series last season.  
• Palmieri struck out a career-high eight batters in the contest.
• Ciliento has now reached safely in 14-straight games dating back to last season.
• Ciliento now has seven stolen bases on the season and is 23-for-29 in his career.
• Kelly has now reached safely in nine-straight games dating back to last season.
• Garofalo made his collegiate debut and earned his first collegiate victory on Sunday.
• Bryant has stolen 16 bases in the first seven games of the season. It is the second-most in that span in DI program history (20 in 2019).  

Up Next

Bryant travels to Blacksburg, Virginia, for a three-game series with Virginia Tech next weekend. The series opens Friday afternoon at 4:00 p.m.