Posted: May 13, 2009

BULLDOGS FALL TO DARTMOUTH, 7-4, IN SEASON FINALE WEDNESDAY

May 13, 2009

BULLDOGS FALL TO DARTMOUTH, 7-4, IN SEASON FINALE WEDNESDAY

HANOVER, N.H. - The Bryant University baseball team ended their 2009 season on Wednesday, falling to Ivy League Champions, Dartmouth, 7-4 in Hanover, N.H. Bryant finished its inaugural Division I season 32-22 overall, and 13-6 against New England DI competition.

The Bulldogs finished off one of the most successful seasons of any Division I reclassifying team despite losing in their season finale. Jeff Vigurs (South Windsor, Conn.) had two hits and drove in two more runs in the contest, finishing the season with 70 RBI which places him second all-time for RBI in a single season. Nick Campbell (Raynham, Mass.) contributed three hits to add on to his record-setting career total, while Jamie Skagerlind (Holden, Mass.) had two hits and a pair of RBI.

Vigurs put Bryant on top early, hitting a one-out double to right center that scored both Campbell and Dylan Stone (Portsmouth, R.I.) to stake the Bulldogs to a 2-0 advantage. The double was the first of two in the contest for the junior catcher.

The Big Green rallied for three runs in the bottom of the fourth off of Bryant starter Chris Foundas (Needham, Mass.), grabbing a 3-2 edge after four. Johnathon Santopadre highlighted the frame with a two-out double down the line in left that scored the go-ahead run for Dartmouth, giving the home team a lead they would not relinquish. Foundas allowed four runs on six hits over four innings of work, as he got the loss on the hill.

Mike Pagliarulo came up big for Darmouth in the bottom of the fifth, blasting a three-run home run that took the Big Green lead from one run to four runs, as they held a 6-2 edge on the visiting Bulldogs. The home run gave Dartmouth some cushion and helped reliever Ben Murray earn the victory. The Big Green used six different pitchers throughout the contest, none going more than two innings.

Skagerlind brought the Bulldogs back in the sixth, driving a two-run home run, his sixth of the season, over the fence in right field to cut the deficit to 6-4.

Dartmouth tacked on another run in the seventh to put the lead at 7-4. The bullpen did the rest of the work, holding the Bulldogs scoreless over the final three innings to seal up the win.

Bryant finished with one of the best records of any program at the school, finishing as one of five teams at the university to end with a winning record. The team will look to replace the void left by six seniors as they head into their second season of Division I play.

Dartmouth 7, Bryant University 4 (May 13, 2009 at Hanover, N.H.)
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Bryant University... 002 002 000 - 4 9 1 (32-22)
Dartmouth........... 000 330 10X - 7 10 0 (26-15)
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Pitchers: Bryant University - Chris Foundas; Nick Laude(5); Brian O'Neil(5);
John Michael Ryan(7). Dartmouth - Young; Hendricks(3); Murray(4); Sulser(6); Ternowchek(8);
Smith(9).
Win-Murray(5-1) Save-Smith(11) Loss-Chris Foundas(3-3) T-2:06 A-231
HR BRY - Jamie Skagerlind (6).
HR DART - Pagliarulo (6).
Weather: 75 degrees and sunny
Game notes:
Laude was injured during his warm-up tosses and did not face a batter.