Davitt, Angelini push Bulldogs past No. 22 Kentucky, 7-4

SAN DIEGO, Calif. – Senior James Davitt (Wallingford, Conn.) struck out a career-high seven over five solid innings and freshman outfield Nick Angelini (Bedford, N.H.) hit his first-career home run to lead the Bryant University baseball team to a 7-4 victory over No. 22 Kentucky Sunday on the final day of the Tony Gwynn Classic at University of San Diego's Fowler Stadium.

With the win, the Bulldogs improve to 6-1 on the season and are now 2-1 against schools from Southeastern Conference (SEC). Bryant had never beaten a nationally-ranked team during the regular season in Division I program history and finished 2-1 in the highly competitive Tony Gwynn Classic. The Wildcats fall to 3-3 with the loss.

The Bulldogs wasted little time getting on Kentucky fireballer Kyle Cody, the 73rd overall pick by the Cleveland Indians last June. Junior Cole Fabio (Mahwah, N.J.) whistled the first pitch of the game back through the middle before advancing to second on a ground out. Senior Robby Rinn (Warwick, R.I.) then jumped on a first-pitch fastball and laced it into center field, scoring Fabio to make it 1-0. The Bulldogs added two more hard-hit singles to load the bases but Cody escaped further damage with a fly ball to left.

Kentucky was able to tie the game two batters into the third inning. Riley Mahan legged out a triple to open the inning and then scored on a ground ball to third. The Bulldogs appeared to have Mahan dead-to-rights but the throw home was high, allowing Mahan to score safely. Davitt stifled any other thoughts though as he picked off Zach Arnold at first, struck out a batter and got a ground out to first.

Bryant quickly regained the lead with two runs in the bottom of the third and six over its next three at-bats. In the third, junior Matt Albanese (East Haddam, Conn.) walked and Rinn was hit by a pitch to open the inning and both advanced on a wild pitch. Junior Brandon Bingel (Peabody, Mass.) followed with a ground ball back through the middle that scored both runners to make it 3-1.

A pair of Kentucky miscues helped the Black and Gold add a run in the fourth. Angelini led off with his first-career hit, a single up the middle. Cellucci then bunted but Cody tried to get the runner at second and threw it into center, putting runners on the corners with no outs. Two batters later, Angelini scampered home on a wild pitch to make it 4-1.

Angelini found himself in the middle of things again in the fifth. Bingel singled, junior Jacob Marotta (Bridgewater, Mass.) walked and the duo executed a double steal to move into scoring position with one out. Angelini then worked a full count before turning on a fastball and hitting it off the left field foul pole for his first-career home run. The three-run shot gave Bryant a 7-1 lead.

The Wildcats fired right back in the top of the sixth with a pair of runs to make it a 7-3 game. Arnold and Storm Wilson started the inning with consecutive infield singles and Evan White chased Davitt with a run-scoring double down the right field line. Bryant called on freshman lefty Steve Theetge (Cicero, N.Y.) and he answered the call, limiting the Wildcats to just one more run in the inning. He got a pop up for the first out, allowed an RBI single but then induced an inning-ending 4-6-3 double play.

Kentucky threatened again in the seventh but Theetge was able to escape thanks to another beautiful double play. A hit batter and a single gave the Wildcats two runners with one out but Theetge induced a ground ball to third from Kole Cottam on the 10th pitch of the at-bat and Marotta turned it into an inning-ending 5-3 double play.

The Wildcats chipped away in the eighth adding a run to make it 7-4. Wilson led off the inning with a walk and advanced to third on a single from JaVon Shelby. Tristan Pompey brought in a run with a sac fly to right field but sophomore Justin Snyder (Georgetown, Mass.) came on to strikeout pinch-hitter Dorian Hairston and end the inning. Classmate Logan Lessard (Cromwell, Conn.) put the finishing touches on the win as he struck out two in a perfect ninth inning to secure his third save.

Davitt evened his record at 1-1 with five innings of three-run ball for the Black and Gold. He allowed just five hits, didn't walk a batter and struck out a career-high seven. After allowing the run in the third, Davitt settled down to retire eight-straight batters, striking out the side in the fifth. Theetge followed with two innings of one-run relief before Michael Marshall (Maynard, Mass.), Snyder and Lessard closed the door.

Angelini was the catalyst on offense going 2-for-2 with three RBI, two runs scored and reaching base four times. Rinn (3-4, RBI, R) and Bingel (3-5, 2RBI) each added three hits and Fabio chipped in two hits and a run scored from the leadoff spot. Senior AJ Zarozny (Shrewsbury, Mass.) went 1-for-5 and earned all-tournament honors after finishing the weekend 7-for-13 with four doubles. 

Cody suffered his first loss of the season for Kentucky, allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits over 3 1/3 innings. He walked one and struck out three. Pompey drove in two runs, while Shelby and Mahan finished with two hits apiece.

The Bulldogs return to the east coast next weekend as they head down the I-95 corridor to face George Mason in a three-game weekend series in Fairfax, Va. First pitch on Friday is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.