Mountford, Bingel power Bulldogs past CCSU on Friday

NEW BRITAIN, Conn. – Senior Jordan Mountford (Guelph, Ont.) and sophomore Brandon Bingel (Peabody, Mass.) combined for eight hits, six RBI and six runs scored to lead the Bryant University baseball team to a 15-5 victory over Central Connecticut on Friday afternoon at the CCSU Baseball Field.

The Bulldogs (9-13, 1-0 NEC) fell behind 3-0 after the first inning on Friday but used a seven-run fifth to come from behind and defeat the Blue Devils (8-14, 2-3). Bryant hit five doubles, three triples and two home runs in the contest.

Central Connecticut flew out of the gates in Friday's opener, scoring three runs on three hits in the first inning. Franklin Jennings opened the game with a walk and scored on an RBI single from Ian Glassman. Dom Severino followed with an RBI double to deep left and came around to score on a single from Ryan Costello.

Bryant started to chip away at the deficit with single runs in the third and fourth innings. In the third, sophomore Joseph Paparelli (Preston, Conn.) reached on a fielder's choice and classmate Jacob Marotta (Bridgewater, Mass.) walked to put two runners on. Mountford followed with a bloop single to right that scored Paparelli from second.

In the fourth, the Bulldogs scored a run in just two pitches. Senior John Mullen (Walpole, Mass.) led off with a triple to deep center and came around on an RBI ground out from junior Robby Rinn (Warwick, R.I.) to make it 3-2.

The Black and Gold then exploded for seven runs on six hits to take a commanding lead in the fifth. Marotta singled with one out and scampered all the way to third on a Mountford single through the right side. Bingel then turned the tide of the game as he launched a 1-0 fastball well over the left field wall to give Bryant a 5-3 lead. It was his fifth home run of the season.

Bryant went right back to work after the Bingel big fly and scored four more runs. Junior AJ Zarozny (Shrewsbury, Mass.) followed with a double and Mullen reached on a throwing error. After an intentional walk loaded the bases, sophomore Cole Fabio (Mahwah, N.J.) slapped a single through the right side to score two. Junior Buck McCarthy (Saugus, Mass.) brought home a run with a sac fly and Paparelli capped the big inning with a bunt single to score Fabio from third.

The Bulldogs then padded their lead with two runs in the fifth and four in the ninth. In the sixth, Mountford singled to lead off, stole second and scored as Bingel doubled down the left field line. Bingel would come around to score on a Mullen ground out to make it 11-3.

In the ninth, Mountford fell behind 0-2 but worked the count 2-2 before launching a solo home run to deep right center. It was his fourth home run of the season. It also started a two-out rally as Bingel singled, Zarozny tripled and Mullen and Rinn hit back-to-back doubles to make it 15-3.

Junior Kyle Wilcox (Sandy Hook, Conn.) was the recipient of the offensive outburst and earned his third-straight win with a dominating outing. After giving up three runs on three hits in the first, Wilcox allowed just two baserunners over the next seven innings. He allowed a leadoff single in the third and a two-out single in the eighth to Arman. In between, he set down 19-straight. Freshman Ryan Johnson (East Falmouth, Mass.) pitched the ninth for the Bulldogs.

Mountford finished with a career-high four hits (4-5), two RBI and three runs scored. Bingel also collected a career-high four hits (4-6), drove in a career-high four runs and scored a career-high three runs. Rinn added three hits (2 2B, 3B) and Zaronzy (2-6) and Mullen (2-6, 2RBI, 3R) each had two hits.

The Bulldogs and Blue Devils continue their series on Saturday with a doubleheader scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m.