Four-run seventh pushes Bryant past Stony Brook, 8-4, Saturday

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Junior Brandon Bingel (Peabody, Mass.) came off the bench to finish a home run shy of the cycle and the Bryant University baseball team broke a 3-3 tie with a four-run seventh on its way to an 8-4 victory over Stony Brook on Saturday afternoon at Conaty Park.

The Bulldogs (27-7) have now clinched the weekend series over the Seawolves (17-17) after winning the opener on Friday, 14-5. Bryant and Stony Brook both have 206 wins since the start of 2011, the most of any team in the Northeast.

Bryant scored three unearned runs in six innings off Stony Brook starter Bret Clarke but found itself in a 3-3 tie entering the seventh. The Seawolves brought in closer Teddy Rodliff in the seventh and the Bulldogs went to work, scoring four runs on four hits in the inning. Bingel started things with a one-out triple to right center and scored on a sac fly from classmate Cole Fabio (Mahwah, N.J.) to make it 4-3.

Freshman Nick Angelini (Bedford, N.H.) was then hit by a pitch to restart the inning and senior Robby Rinn (Warwick, R.I.) followed with a shallow fly ball to center that resulted in a double. Junior Matt Albanese (East Haddam, Conn.) then singled through the right side to bring home two runs. Senior Buck McCarthy (Saugus, Mass.) capped the inning with a run-scoring single up the middle.

The four-run seventh made a winner out of sophomore reliever Justin Snyder (Georgetown, Mass.) who came on in the fifth. He pitched the final 4 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on four hits while posting five strikeouts. Snyder got a fly out to end the fifth, allowed a run in the sixth and then induced an inning-ending 4-6-3 double play in the top of the seventh. He struck out four of the final seven batters he faced to close the door.

Stony Brook was the first to get on the board Saturday, scoring a single run in the fourth. Andruw Gazzola doubled down the first base line to start the inning and Dylan Resk scored him with a double to left center.

Bryant rallied in the bottom of the fourth with the first of its three unearned runs. Albanese singled with one out and then advanced all the way to third as Clarke through away a pickoff throw. The Bulldogs made it hurt as McCarthy grounded out to short to score Albanese.

The Seawolves quickly retook the lead with two more doubles in the fifth. Jeremy Giles doubled over the left fielders head and Sean Buckhout followed with a two-strike double down the left field line to make it 2-1.

It was Bryant's turn to answer in the bottom of the fifth and a dropped foul ball led to two more unearned runs. Senior Zach Wood (Griswold, Conn.) worked a walk and classmate Dan Cellucci (Sudbury, Mass.) then hit a routine fly ball to right center that was dropped as Casey Baker ran into Toby Handley. The Bulldogs took advantage as Bingel stepped to the plate and delivered a pinch-hit, two-run double to left center to make it 3-2.

Resk's second home run of the series made it a three-run game in the eighth but Bryant added an insurance run in the bottom of the inning. The Bulldogs loaded the bases with one out and Angelini delivered a sac fly to right field.

Senior James Davitt (Wallingford, Conn.) started and allowed two runs on seven hits over 4 2/3 innings. He walked one and struck out four. Albanese finished 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored and sophomore Mickey Gasper (Merrimack, N.H.) added two hits, including a double.

Clarke was handed a no-decision after allowing three unearned runs on just four hits in six innings. He walked three and struck out four. Rodliff entered the game with a 0.81 ERA but allowed five runs on six hits in 1 1/3 innings.

The two teams wrap up their three-game series on Sunday with a first pitch scheduled for 1:00 p.m.