BASEBALL CONCLUDES 2010 SEASON IN STYLE WITH 10-1 WIN OVER SACRED HEART

May 21, 2010

BRYANT BASEBALL CONCLUDES SEASON IN STYLE WITH 10-1 WIN OVER SACRED HEART FRIDAY
Campbell Goes 5-for-5 For 2010 NEC Regular Season Champions

Baseball – Bryant 10, Sacred Heart 1 – Boxscore

VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS FROM FRIDAY GAMES COURTESY OF BRYANTBULLDOGS.TV
Nick Campbell Collects one of five hits on the day

The Bryant senior class of Eric Polvani, Nick Laude, Tom Baker, Dylan Stone, Jeff Vigurs, Nick Campbell and Brent Almeida won a school record 144 games during their four-year career - an average of 36 wins per season including two years at the Division I level.

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – After capturing the 2010 Northeast Conference regular season title two days ago, the Bryant University baseball team finished the season in style with a 10-1 win over Sacred Heart, concluding an amazing season for the second year Division I program.

Under warm, sunny skies at the Bryant Baseball Complex Friday, the Bulldogs said goodbye to a senior class that won a school record 144 career games together and turned in a solid series against a tough Sacred Heart (29-25, 20-12) team that entered the series second in the league standings behind Bryant by only three games. 

Despite being unable to participate in the postseason conference tournament during its transition to Division I, the Bulldogs would take three of four from the Pioneers who will be the No. 1 seed at next week’s NEC tournament in New Jersey.

Freshman Peter Kelich improved to 9-1 on the season with the win Friday.  For more of Friday's action photos, visit www.dspics.com

Senior Nick Campbell (Raynham, Mass.) closed out his career in a big way going 5-for-5 with two RBIs and a run scored.  It was his team-best 25th multiple hit game of the season and his second 5-hit game in his illustrious career as the center fielder finishes his career as the school’s all-time career hits leader with an incredible 341 and second all-time with 177 RBIs.

With his five hits on the day (9-for-16 for the series), Campbell finishes the year with a .391 batting average.

Bryant (34-22, 25-7 NEC) got all the runs they would need in the bottom of the second as the Bulldogs strung together six consecutive hits with two outs in the inning to score four times. 

The big blow came on the heels of a two run double by sophomore Mike DelPonte (Tewksbury, Mass.).  It was the first of two doubles in the game for DelPonte who also scored twice and finished the game going 2-for-3 at the plate.

The runs were enough for freshman Peter Kelich (Jackson, N.J.) to pick up his league best ninth win of the season (9-1) on the mound. 

Up 4-0 when the righty took the mound in the top of the third, Kelich would retire the next 10 Pioneer batters in order before giving up a bunt single to Mike Drowne in the top of the sixth. 

But good defense would get Kelich out of the inning as Steve Tedesco would line out to Dylan Stone at second and a quick throw to first would catch Drowne in time for the inning-ending double play. 

Senior Dylan Stone had two hits including a double in Friday's win.  For more photos, visit www.dspics.com

Stone, also playing in his final game in a Bulldog uniform, collected two hits on the day as did freshman Kevin Brown (Northborough, Mass.), junior Jordan English (Windsor Locks, Conn.) and sophomore Jamie Skagerlind (Holden, Mass.). 

Also having a big weekend series was senior catcher Jeff Vigurs (South Windsor, Conn.). The backbone of the Bryant defense, Vigurs went 7-for-16 for the week including his school-record best 61 career double yesterday.  

Kelich finished the game striking five batters and not allowing a walk and just five hits before turning things over to the Bulldogs in the eighth and ninth.