Posted: Mar 08, 2010

BASEBALL PICKS UP FIRST WIN OF THE YEAR, 8-5 OVER VMI MONDAY

March 8, 2010

BRYANT BASEBALL EARNS 8-5 WIN OVER VMI MONDAY

Reliever Mark Andrews earned his first save of the season Monday in Bryant's 8-5 win over VMI. www.dspics.com

LEXINGTON, Va. - The Bryant University baseball team scored a season-high eight runs on a season-best 12 hits Monday as the Bulldogs picked up their first win of the year 8-5 over VMI.

Bryant (1-6) jumped out quick against the undefeated Keydets and starter Jason Farley, scratching across four runs in the top of the first against the sophomore righty.

Dylan Stone (Portsmouth, R.I.) led off the game with an infield single. Two batters later, Jeff Vigurs (South Windsor, Conn.) laced a double, the 51st of his career, into left putting two runners into scoring position with just one out. Freshman Kevin Brown (Northborough, Mass.) followed with an infield single of his own to score Stone with the game's first run.

Jordan English (Windsor Locks, Conn.) would reach on a error by the third baseman, scoring Vigurs from third and moving Brown up to second. Following a double steal, sophomore Jamie Skagerlind (Holden, Mass.) grounded out to short but was able to get Vigurs home safely to make it 3-0. Bryant would tack on one more run in the inning as David Soltis would reach on an error by Sam Roberts shortstop to score English to make it 4-0 Bryant.

VMI (10-1), winners of 10-straight coming into Monday's game, would get a run back in the bottom of the first off Bryant starter Joseph Michaud (Milford, Conn.), but the Bulldogs would get out of the inning as Graham Sullivan grounded out to Stone at second.

In the second, the Bulldogs would regain its four-run lead as Nick Campbell (Raynham, Mass.) led off the inning with a double, his fourth of the season and the 49th of his career. After stealing third, Campbell would come home to score after the throw from the catcher got away from third baseman Tanner Biagini.

Bryant led 6-2 in the fifth but VMI closed to within two with single runs in the bottom of the fifth and sixth innings, but the Bulldogs added runs in the seventh and eighth and held on.

Michaud pitched well, allowing four runs (3 earned) on eight hits and striking out four through 5 1/3 innings of work before giving way to closer Mark Andrews (Hillsborough, N.J.). Andrews allowed just one run on three hits through the final three-plus innings to earn his first save of the season.

Skagerlind drove in a pair of runs for the Bulldogs as Stone, Campbell, Brown and Tim Norton (Barnstable, Mass.) all had a pair of hits in the game.

Bryant will travel to Virginia Tech Tuesday and Wednesday, both games starting at 5:30 pm and close out the season-opening road trip with a game at West Virginia Thursday.