Mountford delivers five hits, Bulldogs complete weekend sweep of FDU

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Senior Jordan Mountford (Guelph, Ont.) went 5-for-5 and the Bryant University baseball team completed a weekend sweep of Fairleigh Dickinson with an 11-3 victory on Sunday at Conaty Park.

The Bulldogs (24-20, 15-5 NEC) picked up 14 more hits on the day and finished the weekend with 26 extra-base hits. With its 13-striaght win over the Knights (17-23, 8-12) and Sacred Heart's win over Wagner, Bryant takes a two-game lead in the league standings into next weekend's matchup with the Seahawks.

On a day in which the Black and Gold honored their seniors prior to the game, Mountford enjoyed a career day. The veteran right fielder collected a career-high five hits, hit his seventh home run, drove in three and scored twice.

Bryant was able to score the first run of the game for the first time in the series on Sunday. Junior Dan Cellucci (Sudbury, Mass.) walked with one out, Mountford moved him to third with a single and sophomore Brandon Bingel (Peabody, Mass.) plated him with a ground out to short.

The Black and Gold added to their lead with a single run in the fifth. Mountford singled with one out, stole second and advanced to third as the throw went into center. Two batters later, junior Robby Rinn (Warwick, R.I.) laced an RBI double to right center to make it 2-0.

FDU rallied in the top of the sixth but was only able to get one back. Bobby Romano doubled to open the inning and went to third on a passed ball. Shane Siebler drew a walk to put runners on the corners but the Bulldogs cut down Romano at home on a ground ball to third. Dylan Sprague then worked a walk to load the bases but Bingel buckled down. He got a fly ball to center from Riley Moonan to score a run but induced a ground ball to short to end the threat.

Bryant backed its pitcher up with four runs in each of the next two innings to open the game up. Senior John Mullen (Walpole, Mass.) tripled to right center to begin the bottom of the sixth and junior AJ Zarozny (Shrewsbury, Mass.) scored him with a single. Sophomore Joseph Paparelli (Preston, Conn.) followed with a double down the left field line and Cellucci delivered a perfect bunt to bring home a second run. Mountford then laced a single back up the middle to score two and make it 6-1.

The Bulldogs added four more in the seventh as the first four batters all reached and scored. Rinn walked and sophomore Cole Fabio (Mahwah, N.J.) doubled to left center to put runners on second and third. Senior Matt Zanotta (Schenectady, N.Y.) hit a pinch-hit single into left to score the first run of the inning and junior Buck McCarthy (Saugus, Mass.) doubled off the center field wall to score two more. Paparelli's RBI ground out capped the inning and gave Bryant a 10-1 lead.

Mountford closed the book on Bryant's offensive barrage in the eighth as he led off with his seventh home run of the year. He launched a 2-0 pitch well over the right field wall.

Making his fourth start of the year, Bingel pitched seven strong innings to earn his third win. He allowed just one run on two hits, walked two and struck out a career-high eight on the afternoon. Bingel five over the first three innings and then struck out the side in the fifth. Junior James Davitt (Wallingford, Conn.) and senior Alex Lagos (Wrentham, Mass.) pitched the final two innings for the Black and Gold.

Zarozny was the only other player to collect multiple hits on the afternoon. McCarthy drove in two runs and Cellucci scored twice for Bryant.

The Bulldogs will wrap up the home portion of their schedule on Wednesday, May 13 when they welcome Hartford to Conaty Park for a non-conference matchup. First pitch is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.