Bryant turns two, sweeps Mount Saturday

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Sophomore Dan Muscatello (Hopkinton, Mass.) went a combined 5-for-7 while Peter Kelich and Salvatore Lisanti (Bronx, N.Y.) tossed 14 total strikeouts in back-to-back complete games, as the Bryant University baseball team swept Mount St. Mary's in a Saturday doubleheader at the Bryant Baseball Complex.

The Bulldogs (16-16, 8-7) took game one, 3-0, and toppled the Mount (12-19, 6-12), 9-3, in the late game to move to one game above .500 in league play for the first time this season.

Kelich took the mound for the Black and Gold in the early game and picked up right where the pitching staff left off on Friday, striking out back-to-back batters to start the game before freezing the Mount's Shane Eyler on an inning-ending backwards K.

Kelich would go on to retire the side in the second and third inning before the Bryant lineup came alive in the bottom of the third.

Tim Norton (Barnstable, Mass.) would get things started for the Bulldogs in the frame, going yard over the left field wall to put the home side up, 1-0. Muscatello would then deliver with a standup double to left field and eventually cross home plate after Kevin Brown (Northborough, Mass.) slapped a single through the right side for his 14^th RBI of the season.  

Kelich would continue to find his groove on the hill, keeping the opposition off the scoreboard and allowing just one hit over the final three frames.

Bryant would add an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth, as slugger David Soltis (Plainville, Conn.) chipped in with a sacrifice fly to the deepest part of the diamond, bringing home Muscatello for the third run of the game.

With the W, Kelich (2-3) picked up his first shutout of the season and allowed a season-low two hits in the outing, while the offense outhit the Mount, 8-2.

In the late contest, Bryant outhit the Mount, 12-5, as seven different Bulldogs recorded a hit, including four with multiple knocks.

The home side wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, with Muscatello picking up his third hit on the day to lead off the first. Connor Carignan would move Muscatello with a bunt and beat out the throw to first for the infield single. Soltis would then deliver his second RBI of the afternoon in the form of a single to right field, giving Bryant the 1-0 edge.

Brown would then reach on balls, loading the bases for Mike DelPonte (Tewksbury, Mass.), who punched a single down the left field line, allowing two runs to come across and putting the Bulldogs up, 3-0, at the end of one.

Lisanti would get the nod for the Bulldogs in the late contest and used those three runs as a cushion to allow a mere five hits by the Mount lineup on the afternoon. Lisanti (3-2) would get additional run support in the bottom of the second, as Bryant light up the scoreboard with five more runs.

Catcher Colin Shepard (Boxford, Mass.) started the surge with a single through the right side of the diamond and would advance to second on a textbook sacrifice bunt from Norton. Shepard would cross the dish one batter later, courtesy of a RBI single by Muscatello, his first on the day. Carignan would continue to stir the pot for the hosts, chipping in with a single to right field, pushing Muscatello into scoring position. Soltis would then load the bases with a single out to centerfield and Brown would help clear the basepath, with a two-run double to the gap in right field.

Soltis would come across home plate and Brown would make his way to third after an errant pitch by the Mount pitcher and Brown would eventually come across after DelPonte connected on a single to the left side for the 8-0 lead.

Despite surrendering three runs on three hits in the top of the fourth, Lisanti controlled the Mountaineer lineup tossing six K's and allowing one walk and five hits in 7.0 innings of work.

The Bulldogs would add their final run of the game in the bottom of the fifth, as Colin Dougherty connected on a lead-off double, then made his way home on two wild pitches for the eventual 9-3 victory.

With the sweep, Bryant moves to .500 overall on the season for the first time since March 5 and now have won eight out of 11 at home this year.

The Bulldogs look for the four-game sweep Sunday afternoon, as both sides will meet in the series finale at 1:00 p.m. Fans watch every minute at www.bryantbulldogs.tv and follow live stats at www.bryantbulldogs.tv.