Panno's three-run triple lifts Bulldogs to sweep of Pioneers, 7-5

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Sophomore Tyler Panno's (Rivervale, N.J.) three-run triple broke a 4-4 tie and highlighted a five-run sixth inning as the Bryant University baseball team came from behind to earn a 7-5 victory and a doubleheader sweep of Sacred Heart on Sunday afternoon at Conaty Park.

Playing at home for the first time this season, the Bulldogs (6-17, 2-0 NEC) earned their first winning streak of the year with 8-5 and 7-5 victories. The Pioneers (7-17, 2-3 NEC) have lost three-straight league games.

Trailing 4-2 in the bottom of the sixth, the Black and Gold sent 10 men to the plate and scored five runs on just two hits. Junior Malik Daley (Northborough, Mass.) walked to start the inning and senior Cole Fabio (Mahwah, N.J.) walked drew a walk two batters later to put the tying runs on base. Sophomore Nick Angelini (Bedford, N.H.) then hit a hot smash past the third baseman to score Daley and make it a 4-3 game.

After a hit batter loaded the bases, Baylor Sundahl was summoned from the Sacred Heart bullpen. He struck out the first batter he faced but freshman Jimmy Titus (Stafford, Conn.) walked on a 3-2 pitch to force in the tying run. Panno then hit a sinking liner into center that alluded the dive of Alex Perry. All three runners scored and Panno chugged into third with a three-run triple to give Bryant a 7-4 lead.

The Pioneers would make things interesting in the seventh as two walks and an Anthony Capozziello single made it 7-5. Freshman Jack Ipsen (Eatontown, N.J.) was summoned from the pen and got a fly ball to left before walking P.J. DeFilippo to load the bases. He escaped trouble, however, getting a pop up to short off the bat of Jake Friar to end the inning.

Ipsen came back out to retire the Pioneers in the eighth before handing the ball to sophomore Nathan Wrighter (Windsor, N.Y.) for the ninth. Making his second appearance of the day, Wrighter struck out two in a perfect ninth to earn his first-career save.

Bryant opened the scoring in Sunday's second game with a single run in the third. Fabio and Angelini started a two-out rally with a walk and a single, and junior Mickey Gasper (Merrimack, N.H.) capped the rally with a bloop single to center to score Fabio.

Sacred Heart answered with the next three runs. In the top of the fourth, two walks and an error loaded the bases with no outs for the Pioneers. Capozziello then hit a soft comebacker that Bryant starter Ross Weiner (Woodbridge, Conn.) fielded and threw home. The throw was in time but the umpire ruled that freshman Gaby Cruz (Miami, Fla.) didn't have his foot on the plate, thus tying the game at 1-1.

Sophomore Craig Lacey (Westfield, Mass.) was called on to pitch and the right hander quickly put the Pioneer rally to bed. He struck out Dan Schock swinging and then Cruz made amends for his guffaw, fielding a ball that landed in front of home plate and starting an inning-ending 2-3 double play.

The Pioneers, though, did take the lead with two runs in the next inning. Back-to-back singles opened the inning, a sac bunt advanced both runners and Alex Perry's fly ball to the warning track in right gave SHU the lead. Keith Klebart added a two-out RBI single to make it 3-1.

Back-to-back doubles from Angelini and Gasper in the bottom of the fifth brought Bryant within one but SHU starter Brent Teller struck out back-to-back batters to strand the bases loaded.

Weiner lasted just three-plus innings on Sunday, allowing one unearned run on two hits. He walked two and struck out two. Junior Jack Patterson (Suffield, Conn.) picked up his first win since April 27, 2014, allowing one run on two hits in the sixth. Wrighter's appearance in the ninth was his third of the week and he retired nine of the 10 batters he faced.

Angelini led the Bryant offense, going 3-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored. Gasper finished 2-for-2 with two RBI and Fabio walked twice and scored twice. He became just the second player in program history to record over 100 career walks with his free pass in game one.

Teller was saddled with a no decision after giving up two runs on six hits over five innings. He walked three and struck out six. John Sostarich surrendered four runs on just one hit and got just one out in the sixth. Batting 8-9 in the order, Friar and Austin Markmann each finished with two hits for the Pioneers.

Bryant welcomes in-state rival Rhode Island to Conaty Park on Wednesday afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.