Bulldogs fall to Ohio State, 4-1

BASEBALL DROPS OPENER TO OHIO STATE, 4-1, ON FRIDAY

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Senior right-hander Peter Kelich (Jackson, N.J.) struck out seven over 6.2 stellar innings but it was not enough as the Bryant University baseball team fell to Ohio State, 4-1, on Friday night at Nick Swisher Field at Bill Davis Stadium.

For the fifth-straight game the Bulldogs (4-8-1) received a quality start from their starting pitcher but they could only turn eight hits into one run against the Buckeyes (11-5). Friday's series opener was the first meeting between the two schools in program history.

Ohio State jumped out to an early lead, plating single runs in the second and third innings. In the second, Aaron Gretz hit a leadoff double and moved to third on a sac bunt two batters later. Brad Hallberg then produced the first run of the game with an RBI ground out to second base. Patrick Porter's two-out triple to dead center in the third inning scored Craig Nennig to make it 2-0.

After the third, Kelich settled down nicely and did not allow another hit until the seventh. He picked up a strikeout to end the third, starting a string of five-straight batters retired over the next two innings. Kelich notched a perfect fourth and then get help from freshman first baseman Robby Rinn (Warwick, R.I.) to work around a one-out walk in the fifth. Rinn jumped up to grab a soft liner for the second out and came down right on the first base bag, doubling off the runner and ending the inning.

Kelich finally hit trouble again in the seventh but, with some help from sophomore reliever Trevor Lacosse (Watervliet, N.Y.), he was able to get out of it. Brad Hallberg singled with one out and Joe Ciamacco doubled inside the third base bag to put runners on second and third. Kelich boar down to strike out the next batter and then Lacosse entered and induced a fly to right to end the frame.

Bryant had several chances to get on the board early but was unable to produce a key hit. Sophomore John Mullen (Walpole, Mass.) started the second with a single and moved to third on a one-out single from junior Tom Gavitt (North Stonington, Conn.). Ohio State starter Jaron Long was able to get out of the jam by inducing an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play. Senior Dan Muscatello (Hopkinton, Mass.) and sophomore Carl Anderson (Sudbury, Mass.) then started a two-out rally in the third with back-to-back singles but Long was able to end the threat with a fielder's choice ground ball.

The Bulldogs were finally able to break through with a run in the seventh. Gavitt led off with a double to the wall in center and Rinn sent the very next pitch back through the middle, scoring Gavitt and cutting the deficit in half, 2-1. The inning came to an abrupt end, however, as a 5-4-3 double play and a strikeout ended the frame.

Ohio State tacked on a pair of key insurance runs in the eighth inning. The Buckeyes loaded the bases with on a HBP, single and an infield error before Jacob Bosiokovic made it 3-1 with a sac fly to center. Greg Solomon followed with a pinch-hit RBI single to make it 4-1.

Gavitt and Rinn paced Bryant's eight-hit attack with a pair of hits each. Anderson's third-inning single extended his career-long hitting streak to eight games. Redshirt junior Vaughn Hayward (Glendale, R.I.) was strong in relief, retiring the final two batters of the eighth inning on a comebacker and a strikeout.

The Bulldogs and Buckeyes will face off in game two of the three-game series on Saturday at 3:05 p.m.