Bulldogs drop finale to Liberty, 11-4, on Sunday

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University baseball team issued 11 walks in an 11-4 loss to Liberty on Sunday afternoon at the Liberty Baseball Field.

The Flames (6-3) earned a series sweep with the victory, while the Bulldogs fell to 0-6 on young season.

Like it has done all season long, the Bulldogs were able to plate the first run of the game on Sunday. Jordan Mountford (Guelph, Ont.) tripled to right center with one out in the first and scored on a sac fly from Matt Albanese (East Haddam, Conn.).

The Flames responded with five runs in the second inning to take a commanding lead. Four walks forced in the tying run and Josh Close followed with a grand slam to give Liberty a 5-1 lead.

Liberty added to its lead with three runs in the bottom of the fourth. A double and a hit batter put two runners on and Alex Close brought both home with a two-run single to center. Becker Sankey brought home the third run of the inning with a single to left field.

Bryant was able cut into the deficit with three runs in the fifth. Zane Smith (Ilion, N.Y.), Brandon Bingel (Peabody, Mass.), Mickey Gasper (Merrimack, N.H.) and Cole Fabio (Mahwah, N.J.) all walked to open the inning and bring home a run. A wild pitch scored Bingel and Albanese picked up his second RBI with a ground ball to second.

The Flames tacked on a run in the sixth and two in the seventh to put the game away. Sankey doubled with two outs to bring home a run in the sixth, while an error and a double led to a pair of unearned runs in the seventh.

Jack Patterson (Suffield, Conn.) struggled for the second-straight outing, allowing four runs on no hits over 1.1 innings. He walked five and struck out two. Michael Marshall (Maynard, Mass.) recorded two outs, James Davitt (Wallingford, Conn.) allowed three runs over two innings, Justin Snyder (Georgetown, Mass.) allowed one run over two innings, Logan Lessard (Cromwell, Conn.) allowed two unearned runs over 1.1 innings and Ross Weiner (Woodbridge, Conn.) made his collegiate debut in the eighth. He struck out one in his collegiate debut.

Making his first-career start, Gasper walked twice and also scored a run for the Bulldogs. Albanese drove in two runs but the Black and Gold finished with just one hit for the second-straight day.

Parker Bean earned the win despite walking seven over five innings. He allowed four runs on one hit and struck out five. Josh Close drove in four, Alex Close had two hits and two RBI and Josh Barrick reached base four times for the Flames.

The Bulldogs return to the diamond on Friday, March 6 when they open their spring break trip with a three-game series at Towson.