Bulldogs salvage Saturday split, defeat Pioneers, 6-3, in game two

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Freshman lefty Steve Theetge (Cicero, N.Y.) threw his first-career complete game to lead the Bryant University baseball team to a 6-3 victory over Sacred Heart in game two of a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at Conaty Park.

With the win, the Bulldogs (32-8, 15-2 NEC) still have yet to lose back-to-back games all years. The Pioneers (22-18, 13-5) had stopped Bryant's 11-game winning streak with a 3-1 victory in game one Saturday.

**Sunday's series finale has been pushed up to 11:00 a.m. due to impending bad weather**

Theetge gave the Bulldogs a gem in game two Saturday, allowing three runs (one earned) on six hits over seven innings to improve to 5-0 on the year. He walked two and struck out a career-high six batters. Theetge allowed two unearned runs in the fourth and then induced a crucial 4-3 inning-ending double play in the sixth. It was the seventh double play he has induced this season.

The Bulldogs gave Theetge an early lead, scoring an unearned run in the first. Freshman Nick Angelini (Bedford, N.H.) singled up the middle with one out, SHU left fielder Alex Perry dropped a high fly ball and junior Matt Albanese (East Haddam, Conn.) followed with an RBI single to center to make it 1-0.

Bryant extended its lead with a three-run third. Senior Robby Rinn (Warwick, R.I.) walked and Albanese singled to center to put runners on the corners with one out and senior Buck McCarthy (Saugus, Mass.) made it 2-0 with a single to left. Sophomore Mickey Gasper (Merrimack, N.H.) and senior Zach Wood (Griswold, Conn.) each added RBI singles to cap the inning.

Sacred Heart cut into the deficit with two runs in the top of the fourth. Victor Sorrento doubled with one out and Dan Schock followed with a single to left to score a run. Sorrento was initially stopped at third but scored as the ball was bobbled in left. The Pioneers grabbed their second run as Schock scored on a throwing error with two outs.

The Black and Gold responded two runs in the bottom of the fourth to push the lead to 6-2. Junior Cole Fabio (Mahwah, N.J.) chased SHU starter Jesus Medina with a single and then quickly stole second with reliever Baylor Sundahl on the mound. Angelini plated him with a single to right field and later scored on a sac fly from McCarthy.

Fabio, Angelini and Albanese all finished with two hits for the Bulldogs. Angelini scored two runs, Albanese drove in a run and scored a run and McCarthy drove in a pair of runs.

Medina fell to 2-3 on the year after allowing five runs (four earned) on eight hits in three-plus innings of work. Six different Pioneers recorded hits and Perry added a solo home run in the seventh to complete the scoring.

The two teams wrap up their series on Sunday with a first pitch scheduled for 11:00 a.m.