Bulldogs rally in ninth but fall to Maryland, 8-6, Sunday

COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The Bryant University baseball team rallied for four runs and put the tying runs on base in the top of the ninth but could not complete the comeback, falling to the University of Marlyand, 8-6, in the series finale on Sunday afternoon at Bob "Turtle" Smith Stadium.

With the win, the Terrapins (7-8) take the weekend series from the Bulldogs (9-4). Maryland used a five-run fifth inning to grab a big lead over the Bryant and was able to hold on in the ninth. The Terps are now 5-1 against the Black and Gold.

Trailing 8-2 in the ninth, the Bulldogs made things interesting with a furious four-run rally. Sophomore Mickey Gasper (Merrimack, N.H.) led off the inning with a pinch-hit opposite field home run to make it 8-3. Senior Dan Cellucci (Sudbury, Mass.) followed with a single up the middle and junior Joe Paparelli (Preston, Conn.) reached safely on a throwing error. Junior Cole Fabio (Mahwah, N.J.) followed with an RBI double inside the third base bag and classmate Matt Albanese (East Haddam, Conn.) plated two with a sharp single to right to make it 8-6.

The rally continued as senior Robby Rinn (Warwick, R.I.) slammed a single back up the middle to put the tying runs on base with no outs.  Bryant, however, made a baserunning mistake to give Maryland the first out. Rinn and Albanese were both caught between bases and Albanese was eventually tagged out. Then, with a 3-2 count on junior Brandon Bingel (Peabody, Mass.), the rain became heavy and a 35-minute delay followed. When play resumed, Maryland closer Mike Rescigno got consecutive fly ball outs from Bingel and senior Buck McCarthy (Saugus, Mass.) to end the game.

Leading 3-2 in the bottom of the fifth, the Terps opened the game up as they sent 10 batters to the plate and scored five runs. Nick Dunn and Nick Cieri led off with back-to-back singles to chase Bryant starter James Davitt (Wallingford, Conn.). Craig Lacey (Westfield, Mass.) came on to pitch but uncorked a wild pitch to bring in the first run of the inning. He got a strikeout before handing the ball to Garrison Banas (Hadley, Mass.). The junior allowed a back-to-back singles to produce a run before Morris delivered his big hit. Behind 0-2, Morris worked the count full before slapping a double into the left field corner to clear the bases and make it 8-2.

Trailing 1-0, Bryant was able to tie the game in the third inning. Paparelli singled with one out and advanced to second on an error by the Maryland third baseman. With the inning extended, Rinn laced a single past the shortstop to score Paparelli and make it 1-1.

The Bulldogs made it a 3-2 game in the fifth with another two-out single. Paparelli walked, advanced to second on a sac bunt and came around to score as Albanese flared a single into shallow left. Maryland, however, answered with five runs in its half of the fifth.

Maryland had an answer for each of Bryant's first two runs on Saturday. Moments after Bryant tied the game in the third, the Terps responded with two runs in bottom half of the inning. An infield error allowed Madison Nickens to reach to start the inning and he then stole second and went to third as the ball went into center. Dunn then scored him with a double to left field and came around to score on a sac fly to make it 3-1.  

Davitt suffered his first loss of the season, allowing five runs (four earned) on seven hits over four-plus innings. He walked three and struck out four. Sophomore Ross Weiner (Woodbridge, Conn.) and redshirt junior Oliver Powers (Newtown, Conn.) combined to keep the Black and Gold in the game with three perfect innings of relief. Weiner tossed a perfect sixth and Powers retired all six batters he faced, striking out three in the seventh and eighth innings.

Fabio, Albanese and Rinn all finished with two hits, Albanese drove in three and Paparelli scored a career-high three runs.

Brian Shaffer pitched seven solid innings for the Terrapins, allowing just two runs (one earned) on five hits. He walked one and struck out six. Dunn finished with three hits and two runs scored, while Costes drove in two runs.

The Bulldogs continue their spring trip with a mid-week game against Delaware on Wednesday, March 16. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.