Bulldogs fall in 11, 5-4

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Josh Huntley delivered a walk-off single in the bottom of the 11th inning to lead Brown University to a 5-4 victory and a doubleheader sweep of the Bryant University baseball team on Saturday afternoon at Murray Stadium.

After defeating the Bulldogs (3-12), 4-3, in the first game, the Bears (2-6) walked off with their second win of the season in the nightcap. Bryant has now lost five-straight games.

In the 11th, Willy Homza walked with one out, took second on a wild pitch and scored on a two-out single by Huntley.

Bryant got out of the gates quickly in game two, scoring three runs in the first two innings. Senior Cole Fabio (Mahwah, N.J.) opened the game with a double down the right field line, went to third on a sac bunt and scored a sac fly from junior Mickey Gasper (Merrimack, N.H.).

In the second, freshman Chris Wright (Cumberland, R.I.) walked to start the inning, sophomore Tyler Panno (Rivervale, N.J.) singled to left and senior Zane Smith (Ilion, N.Y.) laid down a bunt into no man's land to load the bases. Sophomore Nick Angelini (Bedford, N.H.) followed with a hard single through the right side that scored a pair of runs to make it 3-0. The rally was thwarted, however, as Angelini was tagged out at first after taking a big turn and Brown starter Reid Anderson got a strikeout and a pop out to end the inning.

Brown finally broke through in the sixth, scoring four runs to take the lead. A single, a throwing error and a walk loaded the bases with one out and brought freshman Jack Ipsen (Eatontown, N.J.) into the game. Brian Ginsberg fell behind 1-2 but turned on a slider and doubled into the left field corner to clear the bases and tie the game. Rich Ciufo followed with a single to left center to score Ginsberg and give the Bears the lead.

The Bulldogs quickly responded, tying the game in the very next half inning. Gasper reached on an error to start the inning and Panno came through with a huge two-out RBI triple to deep right center to tie the game at 4-4.

Bryant had a chance to break the tie in the top of the 11th as freshman Jimmy Titus (Stafford, Conn.) led off with a single and took second on a balk. Wright then moved him to third with a two-strike sac bunt but Brown reliever Bobby Leyman induced an infield pop out and a fly out to center to strand the runner.

Junior Ross Weiner (Woodbridge, Conn.) started and last 4 1/3 innings. He allowed no runs on three hits, walked four and struck out two on the afternoon. Junior Justin Snyder (Georgetown, Mass.) was charged with three runs (two earned) on just one hit in an inning of relief and Ipsen recorded two outs. Redshirt-freshman Mason Palmieri (Lincoln, R.I.) was dominant in relief, tossing 3 2/3 innings of scoreless relief. He allowed just one hit, walked two and struck out a career-high five.

Panno posted two hits, including his first-career triple, and Wright walked four times. He is the first Bryant player since Kevin Brown on Mar. 29, 2013 to walk four times in a game. The Bulldogs finished 2-for-17 with runners in scoring position and left 15 men on base in the game.

Anderson lasted five innings for Brown, allowing three runs on five hits with five walks and four strikeouts. Will Tomlinson and Sam Hauser combined to throw 3 1/3 innings of hitless relief but walked a combined six batters. Batting 8-9 in the order, Ginsberg and Ciufo combined for four hits and four RBI.

The two teams will complete their three-game series on Sunday with a 1:00 p.m. first pitch.